Our laboratory is fully equipped for human and animal bone collagen pre-treatment, which is the essential procedure for measuring archaeological samples by stable isotope analysis, collagen peptide fingerprinting, and other scientific methods.
Stable isotope analysis of human and animal bone collagen provides additional information on diet, migrations, the spread of early cultivated crops, etc. Collagen peptide fingerprinting (ZooMS) allows identifying animal species from even the smallest bone fragments.
In our center, we carry out bone collagen pre-treatment following such protocol:
- About 5 gr. of bone is sampled
- The sampled bone is crushed to smaller pieces
- Samples are demineralized with 0.5 M HCl for 1-5 days
- After demineralization, each sample is washed with distilled water until its pH level became 4-5
- pH 3 solution is added to each sample
- Samples in pH 3 solution are left in the 70° C for 24-48 hrs until they are fully gelatinized
- Samples are filtered
- Samples are frozen overnight at -30° C
- Samples are dried in a freeze-dryer
- 0.85-1.0 mg. is weighed from each sample, put into a tin capsule and prepared for measuring
The cost of the pre-treatment, including all chemicals and laboratory disposables, is 7 eur/sample + VAT
For further details, please contact giedre.motuzaite@gmail.com or margauxdepaermentier@gmail.com
