Raman spectroscopy of fossil bioapatite - A proxy for diagenetic alteration of the oxygen isotope composition

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorThomas D.B.
dc.contributor.authorMcGoverin C.M.
dc.contributor.authorFordyce R.E.
dc.contributor.authorFrew R.D.
dc.contributor.authorGordon K.C.
dc.date.accessioned2011-10-13T16:59:20Z
dc.date.available2011-10-13T16:59:20Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractFossil bioapatite may yield biogeochemical signals of paleoenvironments captured by living organisms. Bioapatite may be diagenetically altered, however, with ions added or removed post-mortem; such change is typically assessed using destructive and demanding techniques. Here, Raman spectroscopy is used as a rapid and non-destructive way to identify significant diagenetic alteration of fossil bioapatite. We found spectral parameters of phosphate symmetric stretching (μ1-PO43-) to be very sensitive to variations in apatite chemistry, particularly with respect to common diagenetic components (CO32-, F-, Sr2+). The Raman spectral parameters were subsequently applied to a set of modern (biogenic) and geologic (magmatic) apatite samples as potential endmembers for diagenetic alteration. Raman spectra were also collected from enamel and dentin (respectively resistant vs. alteration-prone) of fossil teeth. Phosphate-oxygen isotopic values from the same enamel-dentin samples were used as an index of alteration and provided definition of Raman spectral parameters as relates to diagenetic alteration. Diagenetically altered samples were characterised by spectra with μ1-PO43- widths (at half maximum height) less than 13.0cm-1, and μ1-PO43- band positions greater than 964.7cm-1. Raman spectroscopy is shown to have potential as a tool for pre-screening fossil apatite samples before further analyses. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.
dc.description.versionArticle
dc.identifier.citationPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
dc.identifier.citation310
dc.identifier.citation02-Jan
dc.identifier.citationhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-80052756037&partnerID=40&md5=8ccd8ba23d14dd4748b199fd2cd0216e
dc.identifier.issn310182
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.06.016
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17069
dc.titleRaman spectroscopy of fossil bioapatite - A proxy for diagenetic alteration of the oxygen isotope composition
dc.typeArticle
Files
Collections
Stellenbosch University - Scopus Publications