On the possibilities of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for analysis of archaeological bones for reconstruction of paleodiet

The possibilities of inductively coupled plasma atomic mass spectrometry for determination of elemental composition of archaeological bones for reconstruction of paleodiet are discussed. The interferences of different polyatomic ions on the determination of Fe, Cu, Mg, Mn, Zn, and Zr are investigated and evaluated. Thus, a method for the determination of Al, As, Ba, Mg, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, and Zr is proposed and is validated by analysis of IAEA-SRM-H-5 (animal bone). The applicability of the proposed procedure is demonstrated analyzing real archaeological bone samples dated to 4th century b.c. and the results are compared with the data obtained by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.