Strontium90 for determination of time since death

Strontium90 (Sr90) is an artificial nuclear fission product of the atmosphe ric a-bomb testing between 1945 and 1979. It was spread throughout the atmo sphere in the following years. Sr90 is an analogue to calcium and therefore enriched in human bones. Several studies especially in the 1960s and 1970s were undertaken to investigate the Sr90 burden and the resulting incorpora ted radiation in humans, but present studies are missing. In this study nin e bone samples, three from 1931/32 and six from 1989 to 1994 were examined by measuring the Sr90 radiation. The samples from 1931/32 did not show any Sr90 activity. All the samples from 1989 and later showed a Sr90 activity, but the intensity was very variable. Subsequent investigations should be do ne to determine the cut-off year for measurable Sr90 activity. Furthermore the determination of a specific time since death depending on Sr90 activity should be possible, due to the ranging Sr90 pollution between 1950 and 198 0 and different uptake in adolescents and adults. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.