molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 25670

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Química, Unidad Departamental de Química Analítica, Facultad de Ciencias, Sección de Química, Universidad de La Laguna, Apartado 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, España
Interests: green chemistry; nanomaterials; chromatography; mass spectrometry; food analysis; environmental analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Universidad de la Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain
Interests: stable isotopes; isotope geochemistry; sediments; soils; organic geochemistry; inorganic geochemistry; environmental geochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The isotopic composition of matter is controlled by different physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. The different transformations of such matter can be followed through stable isotope analysis. The development of accurate isotopic techniques has allowed the analysis of a wide variety of matrices, including environmental (e.g., sediments, soils, waters, petroleum, meteorites), biological (e.g., bones, blood, organic tissues) and agri-food samples (e.g., milk, oils, wine). Thus, the application of these techniques has skyrocketed within different scientific fields such as geochemistry, archaeology, forensic science, biomedicine, environmental science, microbiology, soil science, and doping and fraud control, to name but a few. In fact, the possibilities that isotopic analysis offers are endless, and practically all disciplines of chemistry have employed these techniques.

This Special Issue aims to provide an updated view and highlight the advances in the application of stable isotope analysis in the different fields of chemistry. Thus, it covers but is not limited to improvements on procedures and instrumentation, including new sample treatments and instrumental set up as well as novel analytical applications. Moreover, recent applications of already well-established methodologies with significant interesting results are highly welcomed, as well as review articles.

We truly believe that this collection will be highly attractive for the research community due to the increasing interest in isotopic analysis.

Dr. Antonio V. Herrera-Herrera
Dr. Margarita Jambrina-Enríquez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • stable isotope analysis
  • compound specific stable isotopes
  • authenticity
  • traceability
  • biogenic isotopic composition
  • biogeochemistry
  • geochemistry
  • molecular archaeometry
  • environmental chemistry

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 212 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis”
by Antonio V. Herrera-Herrera and Margarita Jambrina-Enríquez
Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7293; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27217293 - 27 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1303
Abstract
The isotopic composition of matter is controlled by different physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

20 pages, 967 KiB  
Article
Measurement Uncertainty and Risk of False Compliance Assessment Applied to Carbon Isotopic Analyses in Natural Gas Exploratory Evaluation
by Fabiano Galdino Leal, Alexandre de Andrade Ferreira, Gabriel Moraes Silva, Tulio Alves Freire, Marcelo Ribeiro Costa, Erica Tavares de Morais, Jarbas Vicente Poley Guzzo and Elcio Cruz de Oliveira
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3065; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133065 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1006
Abstract
The concept of uncertainty in an isotopic analysis is not uniform in the scientific community worldwide and can compromise the risk of false compliance assessment applied to carbon isotopic analyses in natural gas exploratory evaluation. In this work, we demonstrated a way to [...] Read more.
The concept of uncertainty in an isotopic analysis is not uniform in the scientific community worldwide and can compromise the risk of false compliance assessment applied to carbon isotopic analyses in natural gas exploratory evaluation. In this work, we demonstrated a way to calculate one of the main sources of this uncertainty, which is underestimated in most studies focusing on gas analysis: the δ13C calculation itself is primarily based on the raw analytical data. The carbon isotopic composition of methane, ethane, propane, and CO2 was measured. After a detailed mathematical treatment, the corresponding expanded uncertainties for each analyte were calculated. Next, for the systematic isotopic characterization of the two gas standards, we calculated the standard uncertainty, intermediary precision, combined standard uncertainty, and finally, the expanded uncertainty for methane, ethane, propane, and CO2. We have found an expanded uncertainty value of 1.8‰ for all compounds, except for propane, where a value of 1.6‰ was obtained. The expanded uncertainty values calculated with the approach shown in this study reveal that the error arising from the application of delta calculation algorithms cannot be neglected, and the obtained values are higher than 0.5‰, usually considered as the accepted uncertainty associated with the GC-IRMS analyses. Finally, based on the use of uncertainty information to evaluate the risk of false compliance, the lower and upper acceptance limits for the carbon isotopic analysis of methane in natural gas are calculated, considering the exploratory limits between −55‰ and −50‰: (i) for the underestimated current uncertainty of 0.5‰, the lower and upper acceptance limits, respectively, are −54.6‰ and −50.4‰; and (ii) for the proposed realistic uncertainty of 1.8‰, the lower and upper acceptance limits would be more restrictive; i.e., −53.5‰ and −51.5‰, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 1942 KiB  
Article
Trophic Dynamics and Feeding Ecology of Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) off Eastern and Western Taiwan
by Yun-Chen Chang, Wei-Chuan Chiang, Daniel J. Madigan, Fu-Yuan Tsai, Ching-Lung Chiang, Hung-Hung Hsu, Shiow-Mei Lin, Mei-Ying Zhuang, Ching-Ting Sun, Lu-Chi Chen and Sheng-Ping Wang
Molecules 2022, 27(3), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27031073 - 5 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3277
Abstract
The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is a mesopredator fish species with seasonal abundance in waters off Taiwan. Regional ecological and life-history information has been historically lacking for this species. In recent years, stable isotope analysis (SIA) of carbon and nitrogen has [...] Read more.
The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is a mesopredator fish species with seasonal abundance in waters off Taiwan. Regional ecological and life-history information has been historically lacking for this species. In recent years, stable isotope analysis (SIA) of carbon and nitrogen has been used to assess predator feeding ecology and broader ecosystem trophic dynamics. This study evaluated comparative skipjack feeding ecology in distinct regions off Taiwan, combining traditional stomach content analysis with SIA of individuals off western (n = 43; 2020) and eastern (n = 347; 2012–2014 and n = 167; 2020) Taiwan. The stomach content analysis showed the most important prey to be ponyfish (Photopectoralis bindus) in western Taiwan and epipelagic squids (Myopsina spp.) and carangids (Decapterus macrosoma;) in eastern Taiwan from 2012 to 2014 and epipelagic carangids (Decapterus spp.) and flying fishes (Cheilopogon spp.) in eastern Taiwan in 2020, suggesting that the skipjack tuna is a generalist predator across regions. In contrast, time-integrated diet estimates from Bayesian mixing models indicated the importance of cephalopods and crustaceans as prey, potentially demonstrating more mesopelagic feeding in less productive waters during skipjack migrations outside the study regions. Skipjack off western Taiwan had a slightly higher estimated trophic position than in the waters off eastern Taiwan, potentially driven by the varying nutrient-driven pelagic food web structures. Skipjack SI values increased with body size off eastern Taiwan but not in western waters, suggesting that opportunistic predation can still result in different predator–prey size dynamics between regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 31550 KiB  
Article
How Does Diet Influence Our Lives? Evaluating the Relationship between Isotopic Signatures and Mortality Patterns in Italian Roman Imperial and Medieval Periods
by Marica Baldoni, Alessandra Nardi, Flavio De Angelis, Olga Rickards and Cristina Martínez-Labarga
Molecules 2021, 26(13), 3895; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26133895 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2538
Abstract
The present research investigates the relationship between dietary habits and mortality patterns in the Roman Imperial and Medieval periods. The reconstructions of population dynamics and subsistence strategies provide a fascinating source of information for understanding our history. This is particularly true given that [...] Read more.
The present research investigates the relationship between dietary habits and mortality patterns in the Roman Imperial and Medieval periods. The reconstructions of population dynamics and subsistence strategies provide a fascinating source of information for understanding our history. This is particularly true given that the changes in social, economic, political, and religious aspects related to the transition from the Roman period to the Middle Ages have been widely discussed. We analyzed the isotopic and mortality patterns of 616 individuals from 18 archeological sites (the Medieval Latium sites of Colonna, Santa Severa, Allumiere, Cencelle, and 14 Medieval and Imperial funerary contexts from Rome) to compile a survivorship analysis. A semi-parametric approach was applied, suggesting variations in mortality patterns between sexes in the Roman period. Nitrogen isotopic signatures influenced mortality in both periods, showing a quadratic and a linear effect for Roman Imperial and Medieval populations, respectively. No influence of carbon isotopic signatures has been detected for Roman Imperial populations. Conversely, increased mortality risk for rising carbon isotopic values was observed in Medieval samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 5741 KiB  
Article
Isotopic Indications of Late Pleistocene and Holocene Paleoenvironmental Changes at Boodie Cave Archaeological Site, Barrow Island, Western Australia
by Jane Skippington, Tiina Manne and Peter Veth
Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2582; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092582 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2425
Abstract
This paper presents the first application of mammal tooth enamel carbonate stable isotope analysis for the purpose of investigating late Pleistocene–early Holocene environmental change in an Australian archaeological context. Stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios were analyzed [...] Read more.
This paper presents the first application of mammal tooth enamel carbonate stable isotope analysis for the purpose of investigating late Pleistocene–early Holocene environmental change in an Australian archaeological context. Stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios were analyzed from archaeological and modern spectacled hare wallaby (Lagorchestes conspicillatus) and hill kangaroo (Osphranter robustus) tooth enamel carbonates from Boodie Cave on Barrow Island in Western Australia. δ18O results track the dynamic paleoecological history at Boodie Cave including a clear shift towards increasing aridity preceding the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum and a period of increased humidity in the early to mid-Holocene. Enamel δ13C reflects divergent species feeding ecology and may imply a long-term shift toward increasing diversity in vegetation structure. This study contributes new data to the carbonate-isotope record for Australian fauna and demonstrates the significant potential of stable isotope based ecological investigations for tracking paleoenvironment change to inter-strata resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3154 KiB  
Article
Traceability and Authentication of Manila Clams from North-Western Adriatic Lagoons Using C and N Stable Isotope Analysis
by Gianluca Bianchini, Valentina Brombin, Pasquale Carlino, Enrico Mistri, Claudio Natali and Gian Marco Salani
Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071859 - 25 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2712
Abstract
In the Adriatic lagoons of northern Italy, manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) farming provides important socio-economic returns and local clams should be registered with the Protected Designations of Origin scheme. Therefore, there is a need for the development of rapid, cost-effective tests [...] Read more.
In the Adriatic lagoons of northern Italy, manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) farming provides important socio-economic returns and local clams should be registered with the Protected Designations of Origin scheme. Therefore, there is a need for the development of rapid, cost-effective tests to guarantee the origin of the product and to prevent potential fraud. In this work, an elemental analysis (EA) coupled with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) was employed to identify the isotopic fingerprints of clams directly collected onsite in three Adriatic lagoons and bought at a local supermarket, where they exhibited certification. In particular, a multivariate analysis of C/N, δ13C and δ15N in manila clam tissues as well as δ13C in shells and Δ13C (calculated as δ13Cshell–δ13Ctissues) seems a promising approach for tracking the geographical origin of manila clams at the regional scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

9 pages, 296 KiB  
Communication
Investigating Hydrogen Isotope Variation during Heating of n-Alkanes under Limited Oxygen Conditions: Implications for Palaeoclimate Reconstruction in Archaeological Settings
by Rory Connolly, Margarita Jambrina-Enríquez, Antonio V. Herrera-Herrera and Carolina Mallol
Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1830; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071830 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2853
Abstract
This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under [...] Read more.
This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under limited oxygen conditions at 150, 250, 350, and 450 °C. Our results reveal isotopic variations in wax lipids of different plant organs during short-term low-temperature combustion. We conclude that, in the absence of a detailed characterisation of the depositional environment in advance of sampling, δ2Hwax values in archaeological or otherwise highly anthropogenic environments should be interpreted cautiously. In addition, we observed that variation in δ2Hwax of leaves is minimal at temperatures ≤ 350 °C, highlighting the potential for δ2Hwax in thermally altered combustion substrates to yield palaeoclimate information, which could allow researchers to investigate links between archaeological and climatic records at a high spatial and temporal resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

28 pages, 6221 KiB  
Review
Stable Isotope Geochemistry of the Organic Elements within Shales and Crude Oils: A Comprehensive Review
by Abiodun Busuyi Ogbesejana, Bo Liu and Mehdi Ostadhassan
Molecules 2022, 27(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010034 - 22 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4226
Abstract
Over time, stable isotopes have proven to be a useful tool in petroleum geochemistry. However, there is currently insufficient literature on stable isotope geochemistry of the organic elements within shales and crude oils in many petroleum systems around the world. As a result, [...] Read more.
Over time, stable isotopes have proven to be a useful tool in petroleum geochemistry. However, there is currently insufficient literature on stable isotope geochemistry of the organic elements within shales and crude oils in many petroleum systems around the world. As a result, this paper critically reviews the early and recent trends in stable isotope geochemistry of organic elements in shales and crude oils. The bulk and compound-specific stable isotopes of H, C, and S, as well as their uses as source facies, depositional environments, thermal maturity, geological age, and oil–oil and oil–source rock correlation studies, are all taken into account. The applications of the stable isotopes of H and C in gas exploration are also discussed. Then, the experimental and instrumental approaches to the stable isotopes of H, C, and S, are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1017 KiB  
Review
Review on Applications of 17O in Hydrological Cycle
by Yalalt Nyamgerel, Yeongcheol Han, Minji Kim, Dongchan Koh and Jeonghoon Lee
Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4468; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26154468 - 24 Jul 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3202
Abstract
The triple oxygen isotopes (16O, 17O, and 18O) are very useful in hydrological and climatological studies because of their sensitivity to environmental conditions. This review presents an overview of the published literature on the potential applications of 17O [...] Read more.
The triple oxygen isotopes (16O, 17O, and 18O) are very useful in hydrological and climatological studies because of their sensitivity to environmental conditions. This review presents an overview of the published literature on the potential applications of 17O in hydrological studies. Dual-inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometry and laser absorption spectroscopy have been used to measure 17O, which provides information on atmospheric conditions at the moisture source and isotopic fractionations during transport and deposition processes. The variations of δ17O from the developed global meteoric water line, with a slope of 0.528, indicate the importance of regional or local effects on the 17O distribution. In polar regions, factors such as the supersaturation effect, intrusion of stratospheric vapor, post-depositional processes (local moisture recycling through sublimation), regional circulation patterns, sea ice concentration and local meteorological conditions determine the distribution of 17O-excess. Numerous studies have used these isotopes to detect the changes in the moisture source, mixing of different water vapor, evaporative loss in dry regions, re-evaporation of rain drops during warm precipitation and convective storms in low and mid-latitude waters. Owing to the large variation of the spatial scale of hydrological processes with their extent (i.e., whether the processes are local or regional), more studies based on isotopic composition of surface and subsurface water, convective precipitation, and water vapor, are required. In particular, in situ measurements are important for accurate simulations of atmospheric hydrological cycles by isotope-enabled general circulation models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Stable Isotope Analysis)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop