Results

Lines of analysis were plotted across the tooth sections in multiple areas to target differences between the prevalence of various diagenetic species in the enamel and the dentine. Calcium, Phosphorous, and Strontium are all expected to be in organic material, while rare earth elements (REEs) and metals are not.

Consistent Calcium and Phosphorous through tooth. Strontium starts slightly higher and overall moves lower. REEs all follow the same trends with various spikes as you move along, Ce reaching 600 cps. Relatively consistent Na, with some huge iron spikes as you move across diagenetic veins. Those same veins have large increases in Thorium and/or Uranium. More light Calcium at base, more heavy Calcium at tip.

Consistent Ca and P, with an increase in Strontium along growth axis. Overall decrease in REEs through growth axis, but peaks throughout. Relatively consistent diagenetic elements, with many high peaks through diagenetic veins. In particular Magnesium is higher in the latter end of the transect. Really low Thorium counts, generally consistent Uranium and Lu counts. Hard to compare Ca, but 44/42 is relatively consistent with a slight increase in 42 towards the tip of the tooth.

While this transect was intended to be only on the perimeter of the enamel, I accidentally started the scan in the epoxy, leading to strange results. Element values are all over the place for organics, REEs, and metals, but radioactive elements are low, while elements become much more consistent in the actual enamel.

Throughout the enamel, Calcium and Phosphorous are consistent with a few dips. Strontium shows a slight increase. No clear trends are present in metals or REEs, though spikes in diagenetic species can be seen in areas which cross cracks in the enamel.

Consistent Calcium, Phosphorous dips in a few areas. Strontium has a high peak, but generally stays consistent. REEs are interesting on this one, most of the less common are consistent but Neodymium increases through the tooth, Lanthanum decreases through the tooth, and Cerium dips with Lanthanum but then rises with Neodymium. For diagenetic elements, the lower half of the tooth is relatively consistent while the upper half has many huge peaks for Iron and Aluminum. Uranium starts high in the base of the tooth, then decreases in the lower half and remains consistent until the end. Lutetium is consistent through the tooth. Light Calcium increases towards tip of the tooth.

Consistent Calcium and Phosphorus, though Phosphorous dips in a few areas. Relative increase in Sr through axis. REEs are interesting, start high, dip, peak, then go low again. Neodymium starts high but stays low, Lanthanum starts low and peaks. The amount of Cerium follows behaviors of both of them.

Diagenetic elements are all over the place. Iron decreases towards the middle of the tooth but then has huge peaks. Aluminum generally follows this trend but actually ends up higher than Fe, and resembles the trend in Uranium. Sodium follows the pattern consistently but ends up low. Interestingly, near the end of the transect there is a peak of most of these elements together.

Uranium increases through the tooth, with a peak near the middle. No Thorium counts, Lutetium is more consistent consistent but starts low and peaks with Uranium.

For elemental transects, we avoided comparisons of 44Ca and 42Ca, as trends between these species are not distinct or informative.

Center void has relatively low amounts of REEs, Phosphorous, Yttrium and Lu but relatively (sometimes absurdly) high metals, Uranium, Strontium, and calcium. Dentine has consistent Calcium and Phosphorous, though it dips slightly. Strontium decreases through dentine. REEs are consistent through dentine but peak at the dentine/enamel boundary then drop off sharply. Uranium decreases through dentine, Lutetium stays consistent. Metals are all over the place through the dentine. Enamel has much lower Uranium, Lutetium, and most metals, but Sodium is higher. REEs increase towards the exterior of the enamel. Phosphorous is overall higher in enamel.

This transect (Transect 2), along the other side of the tooth, is relatively consistent with the previous transect (Transect 1) with a few key differences. REEs are consistent through dentine but peak at the dentine/enamel boundary and do not increase through the enamel as much as they do in transect I, then drop off sharply. No difference from the dentine to the enamel in Phosphorous, interestingly.

Enamel has much lower Strontium, REEs, Yttrium, Uranium and Lutetium. It has some Thorium, which is absent in dentine. Enamel also has higher Sodium than dentine. Iron is inconsistent throughout the tooth. There is a large Uranium peak in the first half of the tooth, which is marked by an increase in Aluminum, Magnesium, and Strontium. Right side “enamel” has strange increase in Thorium and REEs, and a decrease in metals and strontium. Organics remain relatively consistent.

This transect shows consistent Calcium and Phosphorous, but decreasing Strontium with large drop-off at the dentine/enamel boundary. Increasing REEs through dentine but sharp drop off at enamel. Decreasing U through dentine, consistent Lu and no Th, sharp drop-off in both at enamel. Again, metals are all over the place, and have a sharp drop-off in all except Sodium at the boundary.