Identification of animal hard tissues using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

摘要: ABSTRACT A method is described for a rapid throughput and economical analysis of animal hard tissues for museum curation and conservation, and for the forensic investigation of illegally trafficked body parts of endangered species. The technique employs a simple Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) approach using KBr pellets and is suitable for any well-equipped analytical or conservation laboratory. A novel approach is the comparison of the intensities of key absorption bands to differentiate between different tissues. The method readily distinguishes between different kinds of ivory and shows great promise in differentiating between different kinds of animal horn–more especially, in distinguishing rhino horn from some of its common substitutes. In the future, it is envisioned that these methods can be applied non-destructively, thereby providing a rapid and ethical solution to a wide range of problems arising in museums and in criminal cases.