We established a method to test if bones have been varnished with lacquer. Handheld X-ray fluorescence was employed to detect the elemental at the surface of porcine femoral bones (n=10) that served as lacquer-free bones (control group). Eight elements – silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and tin (Sn) – plus light elements (LE) showed a significant discrepancy between lacquer-varnished and lacquer-free bones (p<0.01). The ratio of Ca to P (Ca/P) served as an excellent index for preliminary evaluation of lacquer contamination of bones. Ultimately we created an effective equation, using a stepwise discriminant analysis, to test for contamination of lacquer at the surface of bones. In conclusion, this method could serve as an effective tool for preliminary screening of lacquer contamination on the surface of bones.
