Investigating Residential History Using Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of Human Hair and Drinking Water

AbstractThe relationship between isotopic signals in human hair and geographic region has potential forensic applications for identifying unknown individuals' place of recent residence. This study analyzes δ2H and δ18O isotopes in residential tap water and bulk hair samples from 17 volunteers representing 12 locations in Ontario, Canada. There is a strong correlation (R2 = 0.9) between δ2H and δ18O values of the water samples. In contrast, the δ2H and δ18O values of the hair samples are weakly correlated (R2 = 0.3), and the greater variability in the data is linked to dietary factors. This study demonstrates that the δ2H and δ18O values of hair and drinking water can be used to help identify potential place of residence in forensic cases, particularly in relation to proximity to large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes, but interpretations are complicated by the contribution of both water and diet to δ2H and δ18O values in hair.

Investigating Residential History Using Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of Human Hair and Drinking Water Journal Articles