Isotopes services
Using a range of isotope techniques such as Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) we are able to carry out an array of bulk and compound isotope analysis on a large assortment of materials.
We can analyse materials from gases, waters, foods, chemical products, biological materials to soils, sediments and rocks and fossils.
Uncover the secrets of your samples with precision isotope analysis
Isotope analysis can be useful in many fields such as:
Soil science – used to determine composition and functioning of soil microbes, greenhouse gas studies and understanding carbon and nutrient fluxes.
Marine Science – to understand biogeochemical cycling, determining terrestrial versus marine inputs and climate change effects on sediment functioning.
Ecology – identification of primary and secondary food sources, elucidating predator/prey relationships, constructing food webs and animal migration studies.
Hydrology – to provenance dissolved organic material, tracing of upstream source sediments and tracing the sources of catchment waters.
Archaeology – to determine ancient diets, reconstructing movements, migrations and environments.
Environmental – tracing of pollutants in the environment.
Food and Drink – tracing source of components, verification of growing practices and detection of adulteration.
Oil and gas – investigating water allocation and connectivity; understanding reservoir compartmentalisation, age dating marine sediments; or provenancing biostratigraphically barren clastic sequences.
Forensics – to provenance materials and compare trace evidence.
Plant breeding – tracing nutrient and mineral uptake, screening tool for stress resistance and relative use of nitrogen fixation by legumes.
Isotopes are a versatile tool for determining information about a wide range of samples. The isotopic composition of certain elements within a sample can be used as a fingerprint for the processes, conditions, timescales or locations the sample has experienced
Dr. Carol-Ann Craig, Inorganic Isotope Lead
We have a range of analytical instruments specialising in high-quality isotope analysis:
Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometers (IRMS)– performs both bulk and compound specific isotope analysis on the lighter isotopes such as Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen.
Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) – measures heavier isotopes such as Strontium, Neodymium, Samarium and many more
Two of our isotope methods are currently accredited to ISO17025:2017, we are committed to develop other methods to meet the specific needs of our clients.
