Actualistic Testing of the Influence of Groundwater Chemistry on Degradation of Collagen I in Bone

Recent experiments have heightened our understanding of reactions which can stabilize biomolecules during early diagenesis, yet little remains known about how groundwater chemistry aid or hinder molecular preservation within a bone through geologic time. To elucidate this issue, we conducted actualistic decay employing varied fluid compositions to simulate suite groundwaters. Modern domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) femora were placed in matrix compositionally- and texturally-mature, fluvially-deposited sand. flow, deionized water solutions enriched calcium carbonate, phosphate, iron percolated separate trials for period 90 days. After completion the experiment, degradation bones was examined via histologic thin sectioning two immunoassays against collagen I, primary structural protein: immunofluorescence enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Collagen loss found be greatest trial least carbonate trial, latter experienced partial permineralization with calcite over course experiment. Specifically, retain only ~35 ng I per 100 protein extract, whereas retained ~90 I. Further, trials, cementation sediment onto surfaces preferentially occurred more porous regions epiphyses, perhaps stimulated by greater release compounds from these bones. Of exhibiting intermediate results, phosphate induced slightly than control, ~60 ~80 respectively. These results demonstrate that highly acidic conditions diagenesis overwhelm any preservative effects free radical-mediated stabilization reactions, early-diagenetic drastically slow biomolecular (ostensibly hampering microbial access interior bone), thereby increasing likelihood and/or their products protracted diagenesis. Future variations experiment durations, solute concentrations, bacterial communities, pH values, host sediments could provide further important insights into ways environments control initial other tissues.