Abstract
In forensic investigations involving the identification of unknown deceased individuals, isotope analysis can provide valuable provenance information. This is especially pertinent when primary identifiers (i.e., DNA, dactyloscopy, etc.) fail to yield matches. The isotopic composition of human tissues is linked to that of the food consumed, potentially allowing the identification of regions of origin. However, the isotopic composition of deceased newborns and infants fed with milk formula may be influenced by that of the prepared milk. The findings contribute towards the possibility to isotopically identify bottle-fed infants. More importantly, the data convincingly show that the Sr isotope composition of the prepared milk is determined by that of the formula and not the (local) tap water, thereby limiting the potential of Sr isotope analysis for determining the geological or geographical origin in formula-fed babies in medico-legal cases.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 3600 |
| Pages (from-to) | 3600 |
| Journal | Scientific Reports |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 13 Feb 2024 |
Bibliographical note
© 2024. The Author(s).Funding
The authors thank Andreas Rossmann (Isolab Gmbh, Laboratory for Stable Isotope Analytics, Schweitenkirchen) for providing the C-N-S isotope data, and Dr. Kirsten van Zuilen (former Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for performing the ICP-MS measurements. Dr. Graham Hagen-Peter (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is thanked for performing the isotope mixing calculations. The authors would like to express their gratitude to two anonymous reviewers and Dr. Graham Hagen-Peter for their insightful comments and valuable suggestions, which enhanced the quality of this paper.