The use of barium and strontium abundances in human skeletal tissues to determine their geographic origins

Decades of research show that barium and strontium enter skeletal tissues in proportion to their dietary abundance and, hence, to local environmental levels. Among regions that contrast geologically or climatologically, the environmental abundance of these elements can vary substantially and exceed variation due solely to local dietary differences. Because dental enamel develops during childhood and retains the original levels of these elements, it can provide a chemical signature of the geographic origins of individuals.