Experimental bone combustion and collagen preservation: implications for isotopic studies

Abstract

This paper investigates the temperature’s impact oncollagen degradation to explore how combustionaffects biological analysis, especially isotopic studies.We conducted a burning experiment of guanaco (Lamaguanicoe) bones at low temperatures (up to 400C).Different analytical techniques were performed to measurechanges in color and dimension (% mass loss),organic composition (collagen yield and quality), mineralogical(crystallinity), and structural (porosity andmorphology). The results show that the quantity andquality of collagen decrease significantly at temperaturesof 150C and 200C, respectively. Over these temperatures,the collagen changes, and the results of theisotopic analysis on it would not be reliable.