Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis

Stable isotope ratio analysis uses isotopes of certain naturally occurring elements. An isotope is an atom of the same chemical element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. Isotopes of the same element have slightly different masses. Only stable, ie non-radioactive, isotopes are used for stable isotope ratio analysis.

Stable isotopes have a natural abundance, but physical processes that favor one isotope over another result in enrichment of one isotope compared to another. In the presence of oxygen and hydrogen, the lighter isotopes evaporate more easily, and when it rains, the heavier ones accumulate first. In plants and animals, this enrichment or depletion of one isotope relative to another is measured. Test samples are evaluated for consistency, for example, with reference samples of known origin.

Information about where people grew up and what they consumed can be understood from bones. Archaeologists use isotopic analysis to determine population movements and diet patterns from chemical traces in ancient human remains. Stable isotope analysis, the study of elements in archaeological materials, provides information about climate, nutrition, and the geographic origins of bones and other materials.

In stable isotope analysis, isotopes of different elements, ie atoms with excess or missing neutrons, are looked at. Unlike unstable isotopes such as carbon-14, which decay over time, stable isotopes never decay. There are more than 250 known stable isotopes, and 82 of the first 80 elements of the periodic table have them. Both organic and inorganic compounds contain these isotopes, and their ratios relative to each other are like a kind of signature. Carbon isotopes help date ancient objects.

Isotope traces are extremely useful for researchers. For example, plants absorb stable carbon-12 and carbon-13 isotopes from the atmosphere, which have a consistent ratio. This ratio is transferred to the plants through the soil and water they absorb. During photosynthesis, the amount of water, sunlight, and other factors alter the carbon isotope ratio of the plants.

The carbon ratio categories for plant photosynthesis tell researchers something about where plants are planted and what environmental conditions they withstand. By contrast, analyzing the amount of carbon in animal teeth and bones shows the ratio of carbon isotopes found in the plants they consume.

Our company also provides stable isotope ratio analysis services with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.