Establishment of High-Precision Identification Method for Ivory and Mammoth Tusks ―Semi-Non-Destructive Analysis Using Type I Collagen-Derived Marker Peptides―
Nippi Corporation has developed a new analytical method that accurately distinguishes between ivory and mammoth tusks without damaging their appearance, using type I collagen-derived marker peptides combined with microsampling technology. This breakthrough contributes to preventing illegal trade and authenticating cultural assets.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 12, 2026 at 05:19 (18h 47m after Collected)
Nippi Corporation (President and Representative Director: Yuko Ito, Headquarters: Adachi-ku, Tokyo) has developed a new analytical method that accurately distinguishes between ivory and mammoth tusks without damaging their appearance, using type I collagen-derived marker peptides. This research achievement has been published in "Talanta" (online on April 2, 2026), an international academic journal in the field of analytical chemistry.
【Paper Information】
Species identification of elephant and mammoth ivory products by LC–MS analysis of type I collagen marker peptides with a microsampling technique.
Kumazawa Y, Mizuno K, Taga Y.
Talanta. 306:129763 (2026) doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2026.129763
URL：https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914026004194
【Research Background】
Ivory has long been prized as a material for seals, musical instruments, and art crafts due to its excellent workability and elegant texture. However, its trade is now strictly regulated by the Washington Convention (CITES), which protects endangered wild animals and plants. On the other hand, mammoths, whose excavation volume has increased due to the melting of permafrost caused by recent global warming, are an extinct species and are not subject to CITES regulations, allowing their tusks to be legally traded. Therefore, an international problem is the fraudulent trade of ivory disguised as mammoth tusks, which is pointed out as a factor contributing to elephant poaching.
Conventionally, a method of observing characteristic patterns called "Schreger lines" in the cross-section has been used to distinguish the origin of tusks, but it is difficult to identify processed products. Furthermore, even highly accurate DNA analysis cannot determine the origin if the DNA is damaged due to product processing or deterioration over time. Therefore, an identification method that can be stably performed regardless of the sample condition was sought.
In response, our company embarked on research into a new identification method focusing on type I collagen, the main protein of tusks. Type I collagen has the characteristic of maintaining its stable structure even in paleontological samples tens of thousands of years old or processed products that have undergone various processes. Our company has previously established a method for identifying animal species based on differences in amino acid sequences between species, by detecting type I collagen-derived peptides generated by the digestive enzyme trypsin using a mass spectrometer (*1), targeting leather and glue (nikawa), which also have type I collagen as their main component (*2-5). In this research, we applied this analytical technology and further developed a new analytical method that accurately distinguishes between elephants and mammoths without damaging their appearance, by performing microsampling with sandpaper.
【Research Results】
Currently, African elephants (savanna elephants and forest elephants) and Asian elephants inhabit the world. In this study, to accurately distinguish between these extant elephants and mammoths, each sample was digested with trypsin, and the generated type I collagen-derived peptide fragments were comprehensively analyzed by a mass spectrometer. As a result, four types of marker peptides (P1-P4) crucial for identification were selected (Table 1). P1 and P2, and P3 and P4 correspond to the same positions in the collagen sequence, respectively, but differ by one amino acid. Due to this slight difference in amino acid sequence, the detection patterns of each peptide clearly differ among African elephants, Asian elephants, and mammoths, making it possible to accurately distinguish these three species.
Table 1: Detection patterns of type I collagen-derived marker peptides
Furthermore, this study introduced "microsampling technology" that lightly scrapes the surface of the target with sandpaper. Since highly sensitive mass spectrometers can analyze even microscopic powder invisible to the naked eye, combining the two enabled "semi-non-destructive analysis" that does not damage the appearance (Figure 1). In fact, as a result of verifying this method using 17 commercially available seals (made of ivory and mammoth tusk), the origin of all samples was successfully identified, and all were confirmed to be of the stated origin. Seals indicated only as "ivory" were all revealed to be of African elephant origin.
Figure 1: Ivory/Mammoth Tusk Identification Flow
The technology established this time can be widely applied to the appraisal of various forms, not limited to processed products such as seals, but also unprocessed tusks and historical artifacts, while maintaining the value of the appraised object.
【Paper Information】
Species identification of elephant and mammoth ivory products by LC–MS analysis of type I collagen marker peptides with a microsampling technique.
Kumazawa Y, Mizuno K, Taga Y.
Talanta. 306:129763 (2026) doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2026.129763
URL：https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914026004194
【Research Background】
Ivory has long been prized as a material for seals, musical instruments, and art crafts due to its excellent workability and elegant texture. However, its trade is now strictly regulated by the Washington Convention (CITES), which protects endangered wild animals and plants. On the other hand, mammoths, whose excavation volume has increased due to the melting of permafrost caused by recent global warming, are an extinct species and are not subject to CITES regulations, allowing their tusks to be legally traded. Therefore, an international problem is the fraudulent trade of ivory disguised as mammoth tusks, which is pointed out as a factor contributing to elephant poaching.
Conventionally, a method of observing characteristic patterns called "Schreger lines" in the cross-section has been used to distinguish the origin of tusks, but it is difficult to identify processed products. Furthermore, even highly accurate DNA analysis cannot determine the origin if the DNA is damaged due to product processing or deterioration over time. Therefore, an identification method that can be stably performed regardless of the sample condition was sought.
In response, our company embarked on research into a new identification method focusing on type I collagen, the main protein of tusks. Type I collagen has the characteristic of maintaining its stable structure even in paleontological samples tens of thousands of years old or processed products that have undergone various processes. Our company has previously established a method for identifying animal species based on differences in amino acid sequences between species, by detecting type I collagen-derived peptides generated by the digestive enzyme trypsin using a mass spectrometer (*1), targeting leather and glue (nikawa), which also have type I collagen as their main component (*2-5). In this research, we applied this analytical technology and further developed a new analytical method that accurately distinguishes between elephants and mammoths without damaging their appearance, by performing microsampling with sandpaper.
【Research Results】
Currently, African elephants (savanna elephants and forest elephants) and Asian elephants inhabit the world. In this study, to accurately distinguish between these extant elephants and mammoths, each sample was digested with trypsin, and the generated type I collagen-derived peptide fragments were comprehensively analyzed by a mass spectrometer. As a result, four types of marker peptides (P1-P4) crucial for identification were selected (Table 1). P1 and P2, and P3 and P4 correspond to the same positions in the collagen sequence, respectively, but differ by one amino acid. Due to this slight difference in amino acid sequence, the detection patterns of each peptide clearly differ among African elephants, Asian elephants, and mammoths, making it possible to accurately distinguish these three species.
Table 1: Detection patterns of type I collagen-derived marker peptides
Furthermore, this study introduced "microsampling technology" that lightly scrapes the surface of the target with sandpaper. Since highly sensitive mass spectrometers can analyze even microscopic powder invisible to the naked eye, combining the two enabled "semi-non-destructive analysis" that does not damage the appearance (Figure 1). In fact, as a result of verifying this method using 17 commercially available seals (made of ivory and mammoth tusk), the origin of all samples was successfully identified, and all were confirmed to be of the stated origin. Seals indicated only as "ivory" were all revealed to be of African elephant origin.
Figure 1: Ivory/Mammoth Tusk Identification Flow
The technology established this time can be widely applied to the appraisal of various forms, not limited to processed products such as seals, but also unprocessed tusks and historical artifacts, while maintaining the value of the appraised object.