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Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones

Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010.

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Other Authors: Steyn, Maryna
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Steyn, Maryna
author_browse Steyn, Maryna
author_facet Steyn, Maryna
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2009, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24577
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:26.341Z
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provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24577 Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones Steyn, Maryna marguerita@mweb.co.za Brits, D.M. (Desire Marguerita) Non-human bones Human bones UCTD Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. Aside from macroscopic features of bone and retrievable DNA, few methods are available to accurately separate human and non-human remains found in forensic contexts. The aim of this study was to determine whether significant chemical and histological differences between human and non-human bones exist, which could be used to sort them. Bone samples were taken from femora and tibiae of ten cows (Bos taurus), ten sheep (<i.Ovis aries), five impalas (Aepyceros melampus), 12 donkeys (Equus africanus asinus), eight cats (Felix catus), 12 dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), 12 pigs (Sus scrofa domestica), seven primates, 27 adult humans and six juveniles (Homo sapiens sapiens). Microelement analysis was conducted with a scanning electron microscope fitted with an electron dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS) and included the analyses of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), sulphur (S), silicone (Si), aluminium (Al), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr). Statistically significant differences in the long bones of omnivores and herbivores were observed with regard to K (p=0.0001), Mg (p=0.0214), Cl (p=0.0001) and S (p=0.0012) levels, while K (p=0.0001), Na (p=0.0192) and Cl (p=0.0001) levels were significantly different between omnivores and carnivores. Subtle differences between femora and tibiae were also identified and warrant further inspection. Light microscopy was used to evaluate the histomorphology of cortical bone of the various species. Qualitatively the organisation of various bone structures were assessed while quantitative analyses included measurements of the total number of osteons and non-Haversian canals and minimum and maximum diameters of osteons and Haversian canals. All species contained Haversian bone either in their femora, tibiae or both bones, except for cow and pig bones which contained only plexiform bone. The presence of plexiform bone accurately excluded remains from a human origin. Statistically significant differences between species were found with regards to all quantitative variables, except for the tibial Haversian canal diameters. The current study illustrated that Haversian canal diameters of 60 μm or more and osteon diameters of 300 μm or more are indicative of primate remains and hence additional research is needed to separate bones of various primate species and adult and juvenile humans. Copyright Anatomy unrestricted 2013-09-06T18:01:38Z 2010-05-12 2013-09-06T18:01:38Z 2010-04-16 2010-05-12 2010-05-12 Dissertation Brits, DM 2009, Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24577 > E10/244/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24577 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05122010-114044/ © 2009, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Non-human bones
Human bones
UCTD
Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title_full Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title_fullStr Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title_full_unstemmed Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title_short Histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non-human bones
title_sort histomorphometrical and chemical analysis of human and non human bones
topic Non-human bones
Human bones
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24577
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05122010-114044/