Teeth are frequently used for human identification from burnt remains, as the structure of a tooth is resilient against heat exposure. The intricate composition of hydroxyapatite (HA) mineral and collagen in teeth favours DNA preservation compared to soft tissues. Regardless of the durability, the integrity of the DNA structure in teeth can still be disrupted when exposed to heat. Poor DNA quality can negatively affect the success of DNA analysis towards human identification. The process of isolating DNA from biological samples is arduous and costly. Thus, an informative pre-screening method that could aid in selecting samples that can potentially yield amplifiable DNA would be of excellent value. A multiple linear regression model to predict the DNA content in incinerated pig teeth was developed based on the colourimetry, HA crystallite size and quantified nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. The chromaticity a* was found to be a significant predictor of the regression model. This study outlines a method to predict the viability of extracting nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from pig teeth that were exposed to a wide range of temperatures (27 to 1000 °C) with high accuracy (99.5–99.7

Before regulation, the White Nile contributed 83% of the low water flow to the main Nile and was responsible for maintaining the Nile as a perennial river during times of drought in Ethiopia. Two key unresolved questions relating to the White Nile are: (a) When did the White Nile first join the main Nile? (b) What type of sediment did the White Nile contribute to the main Nile? The answer to the first question has important implications for our understanding of hydro–climatic and tectonic events in the Ugandan Lake Plateau. The answer to the second question is essential for correctly interpreting the sedimentary record preserved in the Nile deep sea fan in the eastern Mediterranean. Our work has shown for the first time that the White Nile has been transporting smectite–rich sediments from the time of its probable inception over 240 ka ago and possibly since about 400 ka. Our analysis of the heavy mineral assemblages in White Nile alluvial sediments provides strong support for a source in the Lake Plateau region of Uganda. The White Nile was flowing from Uganda by at least 240 ka and very likely from about 400 ka.

The structural parameters of a second low-temperature form of KZnPO4 have been refined using Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data. This form of KZnPO4 is isostructural with NH4ZnPO4I and has previously been denoted as KZnPO4II. This article uses the notation δ-KZnPO4, to be consistent with the α, β, and γ notation commonly used for other KZnPO4 phases.

This study presents a novel tool to predict temperature-exposure of incinerated pig teeth as a proxy for understanding impacts of fire on human teeth. Previous studies on the estimation of temperature-exposure of skeletal elements have been limited to that of heat-exposed bone. This predictive tool was developed using a multinomial regression model of colourimetric and hydroxyapatite crystal size variables using data obtained from unheated pig teeth and teeth incinerated at 300 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C. An additional variable based on the observed appearance of the tooth was included in the tool. This enables the tooth to be classified as definitely burnt (600 °C–1000 °C) or uncertain (27 °C/300 °C). As a result, the model predicting the temperature-exposure of the incinerated teeth had an accuracy of 95%. This tool is a holistic, robust and reliable approach to estimate temperature of heat-exposed pig teeth, with high accuracy, and may act as a valuable proxy to estimate heat exposure for human teeth in forensic casework.

This study investigated a mechanochemical method to synthesize a slow-release micronutrient fertilizer containing zinc (Zn) and boron (B). Two reactants ZnO and B2O3 were milled in a ball mill for 4 or 8 h with small quantities of water as part of liquid-assisted grinding, with or without a water-assisted reaction (WAR). The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Low-solubility zinc borate (2ZnO center dot 3B(2)O(3)center dot 7H(2)O), with an octahedral crystal morphology, was successfully synthesized by ball milling and WAR. A column dissolution study showed that the products made by 8 h milling followed by 72 h of WAR exhibited a slow and dual-release pattern of B release, with 26% of the total B released after a 72 h dissolution period. Products made without milling or without WAR showed much faster B release. The proposed synthesis route is a sustainable manufacturing process that is energy efficient and does not generate any noxious effluents, producing a material containing two important micronutrients with a slow release rate.

In a 2007 homicide in Western Australia, small (<0.5 mm diameter) red brick fragments and soil were identified on the victim's clothing (mainly bra), body (mainly hair) and vehicle. A comparative study of the mineralogy and morphology of the red brick fragments with red bricks from the paved area in front of the victim's house was undertaken by traditional laboratory X-ray diffraction (XRD) using low background Si wafer holders and a 0.5 mm focusing monocapillary attachment. Whilst significant similarities were observed between the two datasets, peak overlaps and poor resolution prevented a specific provenance to be determined. Additional analyses using the superior intensity and resolution of synchrotron XRD that was conducted at the Australian Synchrotron quantified the mineralogy of polycrystalline minerals (cristobalite and mullite) in the small brick fragments. These data established that the brick fragments could not be distinguished from the driveway bricks and were clearly shown to be different to a range of other possible sources. The trial was before a judge only and he concluded that the mineralogy data from the small brick fragments on the victim's clothing and the bricks from her front driveway indicated that she was initially attacked in her front yard and not at Kings Park where her body was buried.

Heat alters colour and crystallinity of teeth by destruction of the organic content and inducing hydroxyapatite crystal growth. The colour and crystallite changes can be quantified using spectrophotometric and x-ray diffraction analyses, however these analyses are not commonly used in combination to evaluate burned dental remains. In this study, thirty-nine teeth were incinerated at 300-1000 °C for 15 and 30 min and then measured using a spectrophotometer and an x-ray diffractometer. Response variables used were lightness, L*, and chromaticity a* and b* and luminance (whiteness and yellowness) for colour, and crystal size for crystallinity. Statistical analysis to determine the attribution of these variables revealed yellowness and crystal size were significantly affected by temperature (p < 0.05), whilst duration of heat-exposure showed no significant effect. This study suggests the inclusion of both spectrophotometric and x-ray diffraction in investigating thermal-heated teeth is useful to accurately estimate the temperature teeth are exposed to.

Through five diverse cases involving an attempt of murder cold murder in 1988, two contemporary murder investigations in the past 10 years and sexual assault, this paper will demonstrate how combined pedological, mineralogical and chemical investigations, have been critical in developing reliable soil information, from landscape to microscopic scales, to help in forensic investigations, which were used as evidence in Australian State Supreme courts. A wide range of natural soil types (sandy coastal beaches, grey clayey wetlands, black muddy alluvium in river-beds, brown clayey and loamy soils in wooded areas) and human made soil types (comprising brick and road gravel fragments) across Australia were used in these forensic investigations to associate materials taken from questioned items, such as shoes, clothing, shovels or vehicles, with a specific control location or the crime scene. To illustrate the power of soil analysis in criminal investigations it is beneficial to share successful case examples to demonstrate the potential value of this somewhat under-utilized forensic tool. Here we will discuss how pedological and soil mineralogy expertise, especially in using soil maps and X-ray diffraction (XRD), has been used as a contributory part of each overall historical (cold) and recent criminal investigation.

In 2000, The Clay Minerals Society established a biennial quantitative mineralogy round robin. The so-called Reynolds Cup competition is named after Bob Reynolds for his pioneering work in quantitative clay mineralogy and exceptional contributions to clay science. The first contest was run in 2002 with 40 sets of three samples, which were prepared from mixtures of purified, natural, and synthetic minerals that are commonly found in clay-bearing rocks and soils and represent realistic mineral assemblages. The rules of the competition allow any method or combination of methods to be used in the quantitative analysis of the mineral assemblages. Throughout the competition, X-ray diffraction has been the method of choice for quantifying the mineralogy of the sample mixtures with a multitude of other techniques used to assist with phase identification and quantification. In the first twelve years of the Reynolds Cup competition (2002 to 2014), around 14,000 analyses from 448 participants have been carried out on a total of 21 samples. The data provided by these analyses constitute an extensive database on the accuracy of quantitative mineral analyses and also has given enough time for the progression of improvements in such analyses. In the Reynolds Cup competition, the accuracy of a particular quantification is judged by calculating a “bias” for each phase in an assemblage. Determining exactly the true amount of a phase in the assemblage would give a bias of zero. Generally, the higher placed participants correctly identified all or most of the mineral phases present. Conversely, the worst performers failed to identify or misidentified phases. Several contestants reported a long list of minor exotic phases, which were likely reported by automated search/match programs and were mineralogically implausible. Not surprisingly, clay minerals were among the greatest sources of error reported. This article reports on the first 12 years of the Reynolds Cup competition results and analyzes the competition data to determine the overall accuracy of the mineral assemblage quantities reported by the participants. The data from the competition were also used to ascertain trends in quantification accuracy over a 12 year period and to highlight sources of error in quantitative analyses.

Through 4 completed case studies involving 1 attempt of murder, 1 cold murder (19 years ago) and 2 contemporary murder investigations (past 5 years), this paper will demonstrate how detailed pedological and mineralogical investigations, especially using X-ray diffraction (XRD), have been critical in developing reliable soil information, from landscape to microscopic scales, to help in forensic investigations, which were used as evidence in Australian State Supreme courts. A wide range of natural soil types (sandy coastal dunes, sandy swamps and clayey colluvium) and human-made soil types (comprising road, brick and bone fragment materials) across Australia were used in these forensic investigations to associate materials taken from questioned items, such as shoes, clothing, shovels or vehicles, with a specific control location or the crime scene. To illustrate the power of soil analysis in criminal investigations it is beneficial to share successful case examples to demonstrate the potential value of this somewhat underutilized forensic tool. The significance of using forensic soil science can be highlighted by discussing a range of case studies. Here we will discuss how pedological and clay mineralogy expertise has been used to solve both historical (cold) and recent criminal cases.

Minor celadonite is associated with extensive nontronite alteration in deeply weathered graphitic schist and gneiss at the Uley graphite mine, 18 km southwest of Port Lincoln, and is a co-dominant alteration mineral, with silica, iron and manganese oxides, in sheared graphitic schist in coastal cliffs at Sleaford Bay, 7.3 km south of the Uley mine. The bluish-green clay mica was characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis and electron microscopy. Selected size fractions were dated by K-Ar method. Celadonite, replaces biotite and infills veinlets as crystalline micro-laths to 10 μm long by 1 μm wide and ~0.1 μm thick, of ferroceladonite composition K0.82Na0.03 (Fe 3+ 1.08Al0.06Fe 2+ 0.20Mg0.55) Si4O9.9 (OH)1.98 (H2O)0.12. At Uley mine, celadonite is partially replaced by kaolinite. The timing of celadonite formation at Sleaford Bay was ~48 Ma (early Eocene) and at Uley mine ~16 Ma (early-mid Miocene). Celadonite alteration within granulite facies metasediments of the Paleoproterozoic Hutchison Group is unusual. These occurrences are interpreted to form from saline meteoric water in shear zones during local high sea level events, and at sites where earlier weathering of near-surface graphitic zones provided an environment in which electro-chemical effects, around graphite conductors, may have modified the oxidation potential and style of alteration.

In this paper, we present work on the influence of heat in bushfires and in controlled laboratory experiments, to provide a better understanding of some aspects of the unresolved mineral transformations from bushfires in acid sulfate soils (ASS). The mineralogy using conventional laboratory and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of layer silicate minerals, iron oxides, oxyhydroxides and salt efflorescences provided evidence of the irreversible processes that have contributed to their formation. A conceptual model is presented for using the field morphological, mineralogical, and magnetic properties of unburnt and burnt ASS with sulfuric material (pH <4) at Jury Swamp in the lower Murray-Darling Basin to explain irreversible mineralogical transformations as a consequence of drying (droughts and climate change) and subsequent bushfire burning. The conceptual model characterised the known lateral and vertical changes to the various ASS layers, horizons and materials, which included the burned reddened and yellowish soils as well as the relatively unburned blackened soil layers and salt efflorescences.

Understanding the geochemistry and kinetics of acidification events arising from acid sulfate soils is important to enable effective management and risk assessment. Large-scale exposure and oxidation of acid sulfate soils occurred during a drought in the Lower Lakes (Murray-Darling Basin) of South Australia. We examined the geochemical changes that occurred in one region (Boggy Lake) that experienced surface water acidification and was subsequently neutralised via aerial limestone (CaCO3) dosing and dilution via natural lake refill. Very low pH (< 3) and high concentrations (approximate to 10-1000 mg/L Fe, Al, Mn) of dissolved metals were initially found in surface water. The water chemistry exhibited pH-dependent enhancement of constituents typically associated with acid sulfate soils (SO4, Al and Fe). Geochemical speciation calculations indicated that most (60-80%) of the acidity was present as dissolved metal-sulfate complexes at low pH. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses showed that the orange-brown precipitates present after an initial limestone dosing were secondary oxyhydroxysulfate minerals (schwertmannite, jarosite). Further limestone dosing resulted in neutralisation of the pH, reduction in dissolved metal concentrations, dissolution of jarosite and schwertmannite precipitates, and formation of other metal oxyhydroxide phases. The results were consistent with a pE-pH diagram constructed for metal-sulfur geochemistry. Assessment of the measured and simulated (using PHREEQC) pH and Ca/Cl ratio during limestone dosing indicated that only about 25% of the limestone dissolved. XRD analyses suggested this passivation of the limestone was due to coating with gypsum and schwertmannite. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction The Lower Murray Reclaimed Irrigation Area (LMRIA) comprises approximately 5,000ha of floodirrigated agricultural land located on the floodplain of the River Murray between Mannum and Lake Alexandrina (Figure 1). These river flood plains were developed for agriculture (Dairy, Beef and Fodder) between 1881 and 1940 (Taylor and Poole 1931). From 1940, the construction of levee banks along the river channel, as well weirs along the River and barrages at the river mouth allowed farming to thrive, as water levels became more stable and periodic flooding was minimised. The regulation of the river also raised the water level of the River channel to approximately 1-1.5 m above that of the flood plains. The rise in river level allowed the use of flood irrigation on the now agricultural land behind the levee banks. This type of irrigation is successful due its low capital and energy costs, and effect in reducing soil salinisation (EPA, 2009; Mosley and Fleming 2010).

During a Murray5Darling Basin wide assessment of Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS), soil samples from over 3500 soil profiles were collected by staff from state and regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) agencies and submitted for pH incubation analysis. The large number of soil samples triggered the requirement for a new systematic analysis procedure to be developed. A reliable and systematic analysis procedure using chip trays was successfully developed and tested, which allowed: (i) a rapid and convenient means to incubate the soils in order to assess the hazards of soil acidification on all samples based mainly on pH incubation measurements and (ii) streamlined data acquisition for a wide range of ASS subtypes covering over 8,000 soil samples.