Lipids and Fatty Acids in Fossil Teeth

Abstract

Lipids and fatty acids were extracted from eight specimens of fossil teeth that were reliably estimated to be 100,000 to 230,000,000 years old. The kinds and relative amounts of individual fatty acids present in the extract were estimated by gas-liquid chromatography. These ancient teeth were found to be similar to modern animal teeth in lipid and fatty acid content. It is noteworthy that unsaturated fatty acids (ie, oleic and linoleic acids) survived storage in teeth for millions of years.