Comment on Martinez-Garcia et al. 'Heavy metals in human bones in different historical epochs'

Millard, AR

Abstract

Martínez-García et al. (Sci. Tot Env. 348:51–72) have examined heavy metal exposure of humans in the Cartagena region using analysis of archaeological bones. An analysis of the lead and iron levels they report shows that they are physiologically implausible and must therefore result from diagenesis. This, and analogy with the known diagenetic origin of certain other elements, suggests that the other metal analyses they report are also unlikely to be in vivo concentrations. Lifetime heavy metal exposure cannot be deduced from diagenetically altered concentrations.

Citation

Millard, A. (2006). Comment on Martinez-Garcia et al. 'Heavy metals in human bones in different historical epochs'. Science of the Total Environment, 354(2-3), 295-297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.11.010

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2006
• Deposit Date: Jul 9, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 14, 2009
• Journal: Science of the Total Environment
• Print ISSN: 0048-9697
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-1026
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 354
• Issue: 2-3
• Pages: 295-297
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.11.010
• Keywords: Human bone, Heavy metals, Historical periods, Diagenesis.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1604607