U-series in situ dating of fossils by LA-MC-ICPMS

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2024.0072

Abstract

Abstract:

U-series dating of fossil bones and teeth is based on the fact that U is incorporated into the fossils during their burial and subsequently decays to the daughter nuclides towards equilibrium. However, it has been long-known that the diagenetic phenomenon of uranium uptake influences the reliability of U-series dating of fossils. Over the past two decades, significant advances have been made in the technology of U and Th isotopic analyses. Today, it is able to achieve ɛ-precision of U-Th isotopic ratios using the state of art of Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) and to achieve micrometer scale of spatial resolution with Laser Ablation-ICPMS (but with lower precision). It seems most timely to further develop U-series dating method for fossils using the high-precision and high-resolution analytical techniques. We therefore developed a LA-MC-ICPMS method for U-series in situ dating of fossil samples from Paleolithic and/or paleoanthropological sites. We described the details of our method, including standard preparation, LA-MC-ICPMS calibration, laser ablation, U-Th isotopic measurements and data treatment. Using the newly established method, we analyzed two mammalian fossil teeth from the Xujiayao hominin site, in Nihewan Basin. The sample XJY-1929, from the Upper Culture Layer, displayed U-shaped distribution of U-content, ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁰Th/²³⁸U activity ratios, indicating an early uptake process, and yielded a DAD model age of 172.0±5.1 kaBP, representing a minimum age of this fossil. The sample XJY-3055, from the Lower Culture Layer, however, showed apparently lower U-content, ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁰Th/²³⁸U activity ratios, with a DAD model age of 58.8±4.5 kaBP, which is much younger than the geologic age of the layer. This sample probably experienced a later U-uptake, caused by the redox conditions in the Lower Culture Layer.

Key words: fossil bones, fossil teeth, laser ablation, U-series in situ dating, Xujiayao hominin site

CLC Number:

P533

LIU Yue, JIAO Yanuo, LU Zeji, HU Guilan, SHAO Qingfeng. U-series in situ dating of fossils by LA-MC-ICPMS[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2025, 44(04): 700-714.

Figures/Tables 7

References 58

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标本编号Sample ID	w(U) (μg/g)	²³⁴U/²³⁸U	²³⁰Th/²³⁸U	²³⁰Th/²³²Th	年代Age (kaBP)	(²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_i
XJY1929-1	245.3±74.1	1.312±0.007	0.940±0.009	>1000	127.5±2.5	1.447±0.011
XJY1929-2	230.4±69.7	1.330±0.007	1.038±0.012	>1000	149.4±3.8	1.503±0.012
XJY1929-3	222.3±67.3	1.315±0.007	1.033±0.011	>1000	151.6±3.8	1.483±0.012
XJY1929-4	227.2±68.9	1.317±0.007	1.044±0.009	>1000	154.6±3.4	1.490±0.012
XJY1929-5	228.4±69.3	1.309±0.007	1.004±0.009	>1000	144.9±3.1	1.466±0.011
XJY1929-6	215.5±65.3	1.305±0.007	1.008±0.009	>1000	147.1±3.1	1.462±0.011
XJY1929-7	241.3±73.3	1.301±0.007	1.014±0.009	>1000	149.8±3.1	1.459±0.011
XJY1929-8	210.2±63.8	1.299±0.007	1.009±0.009	>1000	149.1±3.2	1.455±0.011
XJY1929-9	219.6±66.6	1.301±0.007	1.006±0.008	>1000	147.7±2.9	1.456±0.011
XJY1929-10	210.8±64.0	1.302±0.007	1.015±0.008	>1000	149.8±3.1	1.461±0.012
XJY1929-11	204.7±62.2	1.305±0.007	1.017±0.009	>1000	149.8±3.2	1.465±0.012
XJY1929-12	219.9±67.8	1.302±0.011	1.009±0.008	>1000	148.1±3.6	1.459±0.017
XJY1929-13	218.7±66.3	1.321±0.007	1.002±0.008	>1000	141.5±2.8	1.478±0.011
XJY1929-14	215.1±65.5	1.319±0.007	0.997±0.008	>1000	140.6±2.8	1.474±0.011
XJY1929-15	206.0±62.6	1.334±0.007	1.069±0.010	>1000	157.5±3.6	1.521±0.013
XJY1929-16	196.6±59.7	1.332±0.007	1.039±0.009	>1000	149.2±3.1	1.505±0.012
XJY1929-17	210.6±63.8	1.314±0.006	0.978±0.011	>1000	136.6±3.2	1.462±0.010
XJY1929-18	153.1±46.4	1.332±0.008	1.013±0.010	>1000	141.9±3.1	1.496±0.012
XJY1929-19	176.1±53.3	1.324±0.006	1.013±0.011	>1000	143.7±3.3	1.486±0.011
XJY1929-20	230.3±69.9	1.308±0.006	1.023±0.011	>1000	150.7±3.6	1.471±0.011
XJY1929-21	230.5±69.8	1.307±0.006	1.029±0.011	>1000	152.7±3.7	1.472±0.011
XJY1929-22	241.6±73.1	1.302±0.006	1.034±0.011	>1000	155.6±3.8	1.469±0.011
XJY1929-23	252.1±76.3	1.301±0.006	1.021±0.011	>1000	152.0±3.7	1.462±0.011
XJY1929-24	252.6±76.5	1.302±0.006	1.021±0.012	>1000	151.7±3.8	1.463±0.011
XJY1929-25	186.0±56.1	1.312±0.006	0.989±0.010	>1000	140.3±3.1	1.463±0.010
XJY1929-26	243.7±74.2	1.273±0.007	1.007±0.009	>1000	155.3±3.6	1.424±0.012
XJY1929-27	190.1±57.6	1.327±0.007	0.993±0.009	>1000	137.8±2.8	1.482±0.012
XJY1929-28	209.5±63.2	1.314±0.006	1.051±0.015	>1000	157.5±5.0	1.490±0.012
XJY3055-1	4.1±1.2	1.158±0.008	0.516±0.007	328	63.2±1.4	1.189±0.009
XJY3055-2	2.0±0.6	1.138±0.011	0.488±0.012	645	60.1±2.1	1.163±0.013
XJY3055-3	2.3±0.7	1.137±0.009	0.370±0.009	666	42.5±1.4	1.154±0.010
XJY3055-4	1.7±0.5	1.147±0.010	0.368±0.012	772	41.7±1.7	1.165±0.011
XJY3055-5	3.0±0.9	1.143±0.008	0.347±0.008	789	39.1±1.2	1.160±0.009
XJY3055-6	2.0±0.6	1.140±0.009	0.420±0.011	898	49.5±1.6	1.162±0.010
XJY3055-7	1.3±0.4	1.152±0.012	0.404±0.010	653	46.5±1.5	1.173±0.013
XJY3055-8	13.1±3.9	1.154±0.006	0.425±0.007	222	49.5±1.0	1.177±0.007

标本编号Sample ID	w(U) (μg/g)	²³⁴U/²³⁸U	²³⁰Th/²³⁸U	²³⁰Th/²³²Th	年代Age (kaBP)	(²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_i
XJY1929-1	245.3±74.1	1.312±0.007	0.940±0.009	>1000	127.5±2.5	1.447±0.011
XJY1929-2	230.4±69.7	1.330±0.007	1.038±0.012	>1000	149.4±3.8	1.503±0.012
XJY1929-3	222.3±67.3	1.315±0.007	1.033±0.011	>1000	151.6±3.8	1.483±0.012
XJY1929-4	227.2±68.9	1.317±0.007	1.044±0.009	>1000	154.6±3.4	1.490±0.012
XJY1929-5	228.4±69.3	1.309±0.007	1.004±0.009	>1000	144.9±3.1	1.466±0.011
XJY1929-6	215.5±65.3	1.305±0.007	1.008±0.009	>1000	147.1±3.1	1.462±0.011
XJY1929-7	241.3±73.3	1.301±0.007	1.014±0.009	>1000	149.8±3.1	1.459±0.011
XJY1929-8	210.2±63.8	1.299±0.007	1.009±0.009	>1000	149.1±3.2	1.455±0.011
XJY1929-9	219.6±66.6	1.301±0.007	1.006±0.008	>1000	147.7±2.9	1.456±0.011
XJY1929-10	210.8±64.0	1.302±0.007	1.015±0.008	>1000	149.8±3.1	1.461±0.012
XJY1929-11	204.7±62.2	1.305±0.007	1.017±0.009	>1000	149.8±3.2	1.465±0.012
XJY1929-12	219.9±67.8	1.302±0.011	1.009±0.008	>1000	148.1±3.6	1.459±0.017
XJY1929-13	218.7±66.3	1.321±0.007	1.002±0.008	>1000	141.5±2.8	1.478±0.011
XJY1929-14	215.1±65.5	1.319±0.007	0.997±0.008	>1000	140.6±2.8	1.474±0.011
XJY1929-15	206.0±62.6	1.334±0.007	1.069±0.010	>1000	157.5±3.6	1.521±0.013
XJY1929-16	196.6±59.7	1.332±0.007	1.039±0.009	>1000	149.2±3.1	1.505±0.012
XJY1929-17	210.6±63.8	1.314±0.006	0.978±0.011	>1000	136.6±3.2	1.462±0.010
XJY1929-18	153.1±46.4	1.332±0.008	1.013±0.010	>1000	141.9±3.1	1.496±0.012
XJY1929-19	176.1±53.3	1.324±0.006	1.013±0.011	>1000	143.7±3.3	1.486±0.011
XJY1929-20	230.3±69.9	1.308±0.006	1.023±0.011	>1000	150.7±3.6	1.471±0.011
XJY1929-21	230.5±69.8	1.307±0.006	1.029±0.011	>1000	152.7±3.7	1.472±0.011
XJY1929-22	241.6±73.1	1.302±0.006	1.034±0.011	>1000	155.6±3.8	1.469±0.011
XJY1929-23	252.1±76.3	1.301±0.006	1.021±0.011	>1000	152.0±3.7	1.462±0.011
XJY1929-24	252.6±76.5	1.302±0.006	1.021±0.012	>1000	151.7±3.8	1.463±0.011
XJY1929-25	186.0±56.1	1.312±0.006	0.989±0.010	>1000	140.3±3.1	1.463±0.010
XJY1929-26	243.7±74.2	1.273±0.007	1.007±0.009	>1000	155.3±3.6	1.424±0.012
XJY1929-27	190.1±57.6	1.327±0.007	0.993±0.009	>1000	137.8±2.8	1.482±0.012
XJY1929-28	209.5±63.2	1.314±0.006	1.051±0.015	>1000	157.5±5.0	1.490±0.012
XJY3055-1	4.1±1.2	1.158±0.008	0.516±0.007	328	63.2±1.4	1.189±0.009
XJY3055-2	2.0±0.6	1.138±0.011	0.488±0.012	645	60.1±2.1	1.163±0.013
XJY3055-3	2.3±0.7	1.137±0.009	0.370±0.009	666	42.5±1.4	1.154±0.010
XJY3055-4	1.7±0.5	1.147±0.010	0.368±0.012	772	41.7±1.7	1.165±0.011
XJY3055-5	3.0±0.9	1.143±0.008	0.347±0.008	789	39.1±1.2	1.160±0.009
XJY3055-6	2.0±0.6	1.140±0.009	0.420±0.011	898	49.5±1.6	1.162±0.010
XJY3055-7	1.3±0.4	1.152±0.012	0.404±0.010	653	46.5±1.5	1.173±0.013
XJY3055-8	13.1±3.9	1.154±0.006	0.425±0.007	222	49.5±1.0	1.177±0.007