Stable isotope (13C, 15N and 34S) analysis of the hair of modern humans and their domestic animals.
Abstract: Relationships between dietary status and recent migration were examined by delta(13)C, delta(15)N and delta(34)S analysis of hair samples from 43 modern humans living in a rural community in SW England. The isotopic content of 38 'local' hair samples was compared with that of five recently arrived individuals (from Canada, Chile, Germany and the USA). Hair samples from domestic animals (i.e. mainly cats, dogs, cows and horses) were analysed to examine the difference in delta(13)C, delta(15)N and delta(34)S values between herbivores and carnivores. Generally, modern human hair data from the triple stable isotope (delta(13)C, delta(15)N and delta(34)S) provided enough information to confirm the dietary status and origin of the individual subjects. The dietary intake was generally reflected in the animal hair delta(15)N and delta(13)C values, i.e. highest in the carnivores (cats). However, a non-local origin of food sources given to domesticated omnivores (i.e. dogs) was suggested by their hair delta(34)S values.
Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Publication Date: 2002-11-21 PubMed ID: 12442295DOI: 10.1002/rcm.706Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The study analyses the hair of humans and domestic animals to determine dietary status and origin. The analysis uses the stable isotope levels of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in the hair samples.
Research Background
- The research focused on examining the relationships between dietary status and migration. Hair samples were taken from a total of 43 modern humans living in a rural community in Southwest England to determine this.
- The study also compared the isotopic content of 38 local hair samples with five samples from individuals who had recently arrived from Canada, Chile, Germany, and the United States.
Animal Sample Analysis
- In addition to human hair samples, the research also included the analysis of hair samples from domestic animals. The predominantly analyzed animals were cats, dogs, cows, and horses.
- The intention of this analysis was to examine the difference in isotopic levels – delta 13 Carbon, delta 15 Nitrogen and delta 34 Sulfur – between herbivorous and carnivorous animals.
Findings & Conclusion
- Overall, the data from the triple stable isotope in the human hair samples provided enough information to confirm the dietary status and origin of the individual subjects. This means the isotopic content in the hair was directly indicative of individual dietary habits and recent geographical location.
- The dietary intake was generally reflected in the animal hair delta 15 Nitrogen and delta 13 Carbon values, with the highest values being found in the carnivorous animals such as cats.
- Interestingly, the research suggested a non-local origin of food sources for omnivorous domesticated animals, i.e dogs, as indicated by their hair delta 34 Sulfur values. This could imply that these animals’ food may contain ingredients sourced from other geographical locations.
Cite This Article
APA
Bol R, Pflieger C.
(2002).
Stable isotope (13C, 15N and 34S) analysis of the hair of modern humans and their domestic animals.
Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom, 16(23), 2195-2200.
https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.706 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke, Okehampton EX20 2SB, UK. roland.bol@bbsrc.ac.uk
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic / metabolism
- Carbon / analysis
- Carbon / metabolism
- Cats
- Cattle
- Diet
- Dogs
- Emigration and Immigration
- England
- Female
- Hair / chemistry
- Hair / metabolism
- Humans
- Infant
- Isotopes
- Male
- Nitrogen / analysis
- Nitrogen / metabolism
- Rural Population
- Sulfur / analysis
- Sulfur / metabolism
- Transients and Migrants
Citations
This article has been cited 25 times.- Lee HS, Shim JY, Shin WJ, Choi SH, Bong YS, Lee KS. Dietary homogenization and spatial distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in human hair in South Korea. PLoS One 2021;16(8):e0256404.
- Bird MI, Crabtree SA, Haig J, Ulm S, Wurster CM. A global carbon and nitrogen isotope perspective on modern and ancient human diet. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021 May 11;118(19).
- da Silva Coelho FA, Gill S, Tomlin CM, Heaton TH, Lindqvist C. An early dog from southeast Alaska supports a coastal route for the first dog migration into the Americas. Proc Biol Sci 2021 Feb 24;288(1945):20203103.
- Bataille CP, Chartrand MMG, Raposo F, St-Jean G. Assessing geographic controls of hair isotopic variability in human populations: A case-study in Canada. PLoS One 2020;15(8):e0237105.
- Ehleringer JR, Covarrubias Avalos S, Tipple BJ, Valenzuela LO, Cerling TE. Stable isotopes in hair reveal dietary protein sources with links to socioeconomic status and health. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020 Aug 18;117(33):20044-20051.
- Cuparencu C, Praticó G, Hemeryck LY, Sri Harsha PSC, Noerman S, Rombouts C, Xi M, Vanhaecke L, Hanhineva K, Brennan L, Dragsted LO. Biomarkers of meat and seafood intake: an extensive literature review. Genes Nutr 2019;14:35.
- Bernhardt V, Holdermann T, Scheid N, Schäfer T, Verhoff MA, Amendt J. Same, same but different!-matching entomological traces to a human food source by stable isotope analysis. Int J Legal Med 2018 May;132(3):915-921.
- Kusaka S, Ishimaru E, Hyodo F, Gakuhari T, Yoneda M, Yumoto T, Tayasu I. Homogeneous diet of contemporary Japanese inferred from stable isotope ratios of hair. Sci Rep 2016 Sep 12;6:33122.
- Endo T, Hayasaka M, Ogasawra H, Kimura O, Kotaki Y, Haraguchi K. Relationships among Mercury Concentration, and Stable Isotope Ratios of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Scalp Hair of Residents from Seven Countries: Effects of Marine Fish and C4 Plants Consumption. PLoS One 2015;10(6):e0128149.
- O'Brien DM. Stable Isotope Ratios as Biomarkers of Diet for Health Research. Annu Rev Nutr 2015;35:565-94.
- Penick CA, Savage AM, Dunn RR. Stable isotopes reveal links between human food inputs and urban ant diets. Proc Biol Sci 2015 May 7;282(1806):20142608.
- Patel PS, Cooper AJ, O'Connell TC, Kuhnle GG, Kneale CK, Mulligan AM, Luben RN, Brage S, Khaw KT, Wareham NJ, Forouhi NG. Serum carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as potential biomarkers of dietary intake and their relation with incident type 2 diabetes: the EPIC-Norfolk study. Am J Clin Nutr 2014 Aug;100(2):708-18.
- Seabert T, Pal S, Krümmel EM, Blais JM, Imbeault P, Robidoux MA, Haman F. Dietary practices in isolated First Nations communities of northern Canada: combined isotopic and lipid markers provide a good qualitative assessment of store-bought vs locally harvested foods consumption. Nutr Diabetes 2013 Oct 21;3(10):e92.
- O'Connell TC, Kneale CJ, Tasevska N, Kuhnle GG. The diet-body offset in human nitrogen isotopic values: a controlled dietary study. Am J Phys Anthropol 2012 Nov;149(3):426-34.
- Valenzuela LO, Chesson LA, Bowen GJ, Cerling TE, Ehleringer JR. Dietary heterogeneity among Western industrialized countries reflected in the stable isotope ratios of human hair. PLoS One 2012;7(3):e34234.
- Lehn C, Mützel E, Rossmann A. Multi-element stable isotope analysis of H, C, N and S in hair and nails of contemporary human remains. Int J Legal Med 2011 Sep;125(5):695-706.
- Yeung EH, Saudek CD, Jahren AH, Kao WH, Islas M, Kraft R, Coresh J, Anderson CA. Evaluation of a novel isotope biomarker for dietary consumption of sweets. Am J Epidemiol 2010 Nov 1;172(9):1045-52.
- Butz DE, Cook ME, Eghbalnia HR, Assadi-Porter F, Porter WP. Changes in the natural abundance of 13CO2/12CO2 in breath due to lipopolysacchride-induced acute phase response. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2009 Dec;23(23):3729-35.
- Nash SH, Kristal AR, Boyer BB, King IB, Metzgar JS, O'Brien DM. Relation between stable isotope ratios in human red blood cells and hair: implications for using the nitrogen isotope ratio of hair as a biomarker of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Am J Clin Nutr 2009 Dec;90(6):1642-7.
- O'Brien DM, Kristal AR, Jeannet MA, Wilkinson MJ, Bersamin A, Luick B. Red blood cell delta15N: a novel biomarker of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid intake. Am J Clin Nutr 2009 Mar;89(3):913-9.
- Jahren AH, Kraft RA. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in fast food: signatures of corn and confinement. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008 Nov 18;105(46):17855-60.
- Kreuzer-Martin HW, Jarman KH. Stable isotope ratios and forensic analysis of microorganisms. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007 Jun;73(12):3896-908.
- Martsiv M, Dykyy I, Witek M, Chibowski P, Cimarelli G, Moura AE, Pilot M. Dogs of War: The Effect of War-Inflicted Environmental Damage on Free-Ranging Domestic Dogs. Evol Appl 2025 Dec;18(12):e70182.
- Britton K, Czére O, Gutierrez E, Reynard LM, Laird E, Duncan G, de Roos B. Segmental analysis of human hair reveals intra-annual variation in 25(OH)D(3) concentrations in modern and archaeological individuals. Sci Rep 2025 Jan 24;15(1):3078.
- Agrawal G, Sanyal P. Discerning animal-sourced food in diet using isotope analysis of human scalp hair and fingernails. Eur J Nutr 2024 Mar;63(2):409-423.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
