Abstract

An atomic absorption method developed for determination of trace metals has been in a study of the distribution of lead and zinc in over forty samples of bone from a single skeleton. The data have been evaluated by statistical methods to obtain quantitative factors for the between-bone and within-bone relationships. Results calculated on the basis of mineral content generally are not significantly different from the skeletal average. Teeth are confirmed to have a higher concentration of lead than any of the bones, and the average lead concentration shows an increase with age. In the case of lead, teeth may provide an indicator for exposure, but they will not necessarily reflect the general bone burden. The knowledge of the normal distribution of trace elements throughout the skeleton provides a means of obtaining burden estimates on the basis of a single portion of bone.