Abstract: Age determination of the skeleton, based upon the aspartic acid racemization technique and the radiocarbon dating technique were carried out. Previous areas of analysis were based upon the morphology of the skeleton but this proved to be imprecise at the best of times. The chemical analysis has shown more precise and reproducible results. In this study, I looked at two complementary techniques that could be used to estimate the date of birth, the date of death and the age of an individual, who has been found at the scene of a crime, etc. In a case study forty-four teeth from a group of participating individuals were analysed using the aspartic acid racemization technique, to analysis the tooth crown dentin and the radiocarbon analysis of the enamel. The radiocarbon analysis showed good precision and had an overall absolute error of 1.0 ± 0.6 years. The aspartic acid racemization technique also had good precision and showed an absolute error of 5.4 ± 4.2 years. The radiocarbon analysis gives the investigator estimation as to the year the individual was born and the aspartic acid racemization analysis gives the investigator a good estimation as to the age of the individual at the time of their death. With the help of these two techniques, it is possible to determine a date of death for the individual, especially if they are an unidentified individual. The conclusion of the work explains how these techniques are a great asset to the Forensic community and how they are now a crucial part to most of the investigations conducted on a daily basis, especially those of massive proportions.
Keywords: amino acid racemization, dipeptide synthesis and age determination.
Title: DIPEPTIDE SYNTHESIS AND THE AGE DETERMINATION OF BONES
Author: Enya Mc Grahan
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-3148 (online), ISSN 2348-313X (Print)
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