Provenancing humans: the real uncertainty of stable isotope data

Stable isotope profiling is a relatively new technique within the field of human identification. It allows forensic investigators to deduce information pertaining to an individual’s geographical provenance, recent movements, and even dietary intake. Human identification requires the development of new methods able to overcome the issues associated with traditional techniques such as the degradation of DNA samples in aqueous environments, and the extreme fragmentation of skeletal material. Stable isotope profiling is a rapid, cost effective, and accurate technique capable of assisting forensic investigations by focussing resources and providing additional information to the biological profile provided by the anthropologist. Variation in the isotopic composition of local tap water arises as a result of mass-dependent fractionation processes occurring within the hydrologic cycle. These processes occur constantly as water