STRONTIUM ISOTOPE RATIO MEASUREMENTS IN PREHISTORIC HUMAN BONE SAMPLES BY MEANS OF HIGH-RESOLUTION INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY (HR-ICP-MS)

This paper explores the suitability and application range of a commerc ially available high-resolution ICP-mass spectrometer (Finnigan MAT El ement) in determining strontium isotope ratios of human bone samples. Any paleoanthropological interpretation of such samples requires a hig hly accurate isotopic ratio determination with a precision of at least 0.1% relative standard deviation (RSD), Thus, optimum instrument oper ating parameters such as sampling time, scan duration, and instrumenta l bias factors including mass bias and deadtime, were investigated in an initial step. The instrument itself mas used without modification b ut equipped with a commercial microconcentric nebulizer, All experimen ts were performed under clean room conditions with filtered (class 10, 000), temperature controlled, and excess pressured air. Complementary mathematical correction methods like deadtime and mass bias correction s, allowed the achievement of a Sr-87/Sr-86 isotope ratio precision be low 0.03% (RSD for n = 5), Compared with the certified NIST SRM 987 St rontium Carbonate (Isotopic) value (0.71034 +/- 0.00026), our Sr-87/Sr -86 isotopic ratio revealed a 0.7103 +/- 0.0002 match, This optimized procedure was performed on 7000-year-old human skeleton samples from a Neolithic settlement in Asparn/Schletz, Lower Austria, to determine t heir stable strontium isotope ratio, Specific isotope patterns thereby shed light on the provenance of single individuals.