AGE-DETERMINATION BASED ON AMINO-ACID RACEMIZATION - A NEW POSSIBILITY

A method has been developed to determine the age of fossil bone sample s based on amino acid racemization (AAR). Approximately one hundred fo ssil bone samples of known age from Hungary were collected and analyse d for D- and L-amino acids. As the racemization of amino acids is affe cted by temperature, pH, metal content of the soil, and time passed si nce death, these factors were eliminated by comparing the estimated ag e to age determined by the radiocarbon method. Determining the D- and L-amino acid contents in samples of known age, determining the half li fe of racemization and plotting the D/L ratio as a function of time, c alibration curves were obtained. These curves can be used for the age estimation of samples after determining their D- and L-amino acid cont ent. The D/L ratio for 2 to 3 amino acids was determined for each samp le and the mean value of estimated ages based on calibration curves wa s considered to estimate age of the fossil samples.