Isotopic analyses


Hydrogen Isotopes (δ2H)

Hydrogen has two stable isotopes:
  • Hydrogen 1 which has a natural abundance of 99.9844%
  • Hydrogen 2 (Deuterium) which has a natural abundance of 0.0156%
Hydrogen is omnipresent in the terrestrial environment. Stable isotope analysis of hydrogen has many applications, especially in hydrology and geochemistry. Spatial distributions of the hydrogen isotope composition of precipitation is increasingly being used for tracking wildlife and in forensic applications. Hydrogen has by far the largest mass difference between stable isotopes (deuterium being twice as heavy as hydrogen) and hence the largest variation in stable isotope ratios in the environment.



Carbon Isotopes (δ13C)

Carbon has two stable isotopes, the natural abundances of which are:
  • Carbon 12 - 98.892%
  • Carbon 13 - 1.108%s
Carbon stable isotope analyses find application in many fields involving both inorganic and organic samples. Areas of interest include forensic analyses, food web studies, food authentication and adulteration work, geochemical studies, and petrochemical studies. Sample types range from gases e.g. carbon dioxide, to liquids such as oil fractions for compound specific analyses through to bulk solid matter such as plant and animal tissues.



Nitrogen Isotopes (δ15N)

More than 99% of all nitrogen on or near the surface of the earth is atmospheric nitrogen, or nitrogen dissolved in the ocean. Never the less nitrogen is still very important from a stable isotope analysis point of view, especially in the biological world.
Nitrogen has two stable isotopes, the natural abundances of which are:
  • Nitrogen 14 - 99.634%
  • Nitrogen 15 - 0.366%
Stable isotope analyses of nitrogen finds application in such fields as forensics, food web studies, ecological and environmental studies. Sample types include gases, for example geothermal gases for N15 analysis, liquids, for example water samples for nitrate analysis, through to solid samples of whole organic material for nitrogen 15 analysis.



Oxygen Isotopes (δ18O)

Oxygen is the most abundant element on earth and occurs in compounds of gases, liquids and solids.
Oxygen has 3 stable isotopes:
  • Oxygen 16 99.763%
  • Oxygen 17 0.0375%
  • Oxygen 18 0.1995%
Due to the higher abundance and larger mass discrimination it is usual to analyse for the 18O/16O ratio. Oxygen analysis covers many fields including forensics, geochemistry, atmospherics and medical studies as well as environmental and ecological studies. Typical analytes are oxygen analysis of water, carbonates, drug samples, wood, animal and plant tissue, as well as liquids such as fruit juices and wine.



Sulphur Isotopes (δ34S)

Sulphur is present in the natural environment and has four stable isotopes.
  • Sulphur 32 95.02%
  • Sulphur 33 0.75%
  • Sulphur 34 4.21%
  • Sulphur 36 0.02%
For analytical purposes the ratio that is analysed is the 34S/32S. Sulphur isotopic analysis finds applications in geochemistry, food web studies, forensic, environmental, and ecological studies, as well as in the petrochemical and biological fields. Typical samples include rocks, collagen, and animal tissues, as well as petrochemicals and water samples.


Contact details

Physical: Oritain Building, 167 High Street Dunedin New Zealand
Postal: Isotrace NZ Limited, Oritain Building, 167 High Street, Dunedin New Zealand 9016
Tel: +64 3 479 7915
Fax: +64 3 479 7906
Email: office@isotrace.co.nz