J. Bada, R. Protsch, R. A. Schroeder
Feb 1, 1973
Citations
0
Influential Citations
47
Citations
Journal
Nature
Abstract
IT has been shown that the slow racemization reaction of amino-acids can be used in geochronology1–4. One reaction of particular interest is that involving isoleucine. The racemization of L-isoleucine (iso) produces the non-protein amino-acid D-alloisoleucine (alleu), and these two can be separated on an automatic amino-acid analyser. The isoleucine racemization reaction in bone has a half-life at 20° C in excess of 100,000 years and preliminary evidence suggests that the reaction can be used to date fossil bones too old to be dated by radiocarbon4.