Multielement analysis on bone structures of medieval human femur

Bone structures, represented in the form of so-called lines of arrested growth, were observed in medieval human femur. Because process and causes of line
formation are not yet understood multielement analysis on a cross section of a femoral bone was carried out by micro PIXE using the Rossendorf nuclear
microprobe. A series of line profiles across the bone lines, elemental maps and point analyses on a line and beside it show reproducibly increased concentrations of
the trace elements Mn, Fe, Zn, Pb and Sr on the bone lines.