Comparison of Sandpaper and Polishing Film in Minimally-Invasive ZooMS

Abstract

Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) is a rapid, cost-effective and minimally-invasive biomolecular technique that is commonly used in archaeological research of fauna identification. The developing, and minimally-invasive approach uses polishing films to produce bone powder through abrasion, which protects the fragile fauna products preserved in archaeological collections. As an abrasive material with a similar use and principle as polishing film, this experiment tested the possibility of using abrasive paper as an alternative for minimally-invasive ZooMS. Four bones and one antler were selected from previous research were sampled using four grits of sandpaper and one polishing film. The results demonstrate that sandpaper can be used for minimally-invasive sampling, and that different grit sizes affect identification quality, providing new material for ZooMS analysis.