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Application of Radiocarbon Dating to Forensic Investigation and Evaluation of Formaldehyde Influence on Radiocarbon Age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 March 2017

Wan Hong ,
N-E Chung ,
G Park ,
K H Sung ,
J G Lee  and
J-P Park
Wan Hong*
Affiliation:
Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea Department of Accelerator and Nuclear Fusion Physical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
N-E Chung
Affiliation:
National Forensic Service (NFS), 10 Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
G Park
Affiliation:
Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea
K H Sung
Affiliation:
Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea Department of Accelerator and Nuclear Fusion Physical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
J G Lee
Affiliation:
Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-no, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea
J-P Park
Affiliation:
National Forensic Service (NFS), 10 Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
*
*Corresponding author. Email: whong@kigam.re.kr.
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Abstract

A radiocarbon (14C) dating technique with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was applied to estimate the year of death and the year of birth of unidentified human remains. Because many of the samples have been preserved in formaldehyde, it was necessary to evaluate the influence of formaldehyde on carbon ages. Samples intentionally preserved in formaldehyde during the known period were measured, and their Δ14C values were compared with results obtained from fresh samples. The influence of formaldehyde on soft tissue was 14 times larger than that on cortical bone. Unfortunately, an effective method for removing the influence of formaldehyde has not yet been found. 14C ages could be obtained only from the samples not preserved in formaldehyde. The years of birth were determined by the ages of the dentin samples, while the years of death were determined by the ages of the bone and soft tissue samples. Multiple sampling from a body provides an advantage in determination of one of two possible ages of a sample obtained using the bomb peak. Victims of the Korean War were ascertained by the year of death. The year of death and the age at death of unidentified bodies were also determined for forensic investigation.

Keywords

forensicsradiocarbon datingyear of deathyear of birthformaldehyde
Type
Anthropogenic Impacts and 14C Applications
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 59 , Special Issue 2: Proceedings of the 22nd International Radiocarbon Conference (Part 1 of 2) , April 2017 , pp. 271 - 280
Copyright
© 2017 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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Footnotes

Selected Papers from the 2015 Radiocarbon Conference, Dakar, Senegal, 16–20 November 2015

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