The effects of dry ashing on the composition of human and animal bone.

Elemental analysis of archaeological bones, particularly for elements such as fluorine, strontium, and zinc, has been carried out for many years, with the aim of determining their age or relating their composition to diet. Bone samples are commonly dry ashed before analysis to remove organic material and render them more readily soluble. In this study, the recoveries of strontium, zinc, and nine other elements are reported for a range of ashing times and temperatures. Recoveries of sodium, potassium, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and zinc are significantly affected by ashing under some conditions, but recoveries of strontium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese are not.