Monitoring
Stable Isotope Analysis
Not sure how well bioremediation has worked at your site, or which microbes are working? It’s vital to know how successful you are and whether the microbes you’re relying on are doing their jobs. This information is gathered through routine monitoring that is cost-effective and ensures regulator expectations are being met.
Using our unique and proven approach, Novorem incubates contaminated groundwater samples with stable-isotope-labelled compounds and traces the assimilation of these compounds into microbes. This identifies the microbes assimilating contaminants – and unambiguously evidences that a biological process is in play.
How does isotope analysis work?
Stable isotopes can be used to understand the fate of contaminants at your site without any of the environmental or safety risks associated with radioactive isotopes. Isotope probing provides an accurate analysis – unambiguous evidence that a pollutant has been degraded biologically, and the ability to identify the organisms responsible down to the genus level.
The technology is most applicable to reduced organic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons, which are assimilated by microbes during biodegradation. Novorem stocks a wide range of stable-isotope-labelled contaminants of concern with which we can demonstrate assimilation into biomass present in groundwater samples.
The process for isotope analysis
- 01
Sample selection
Novorem selects suitable samples from your contaminated site.
- 02
Labelled incubation
A version of the sample is incubated in the presence of a stable-isotope-labelled contaminant.
- 03
Assimilation check
We determine whether microbes present in the sample can assimilate the pollutant.
- 04
Deployment
If successful, the microbes can be injected into the contaminated site.
- 05
Detection
Isotope ratio mass spectrometry and equilibrium density centrifugation are used to detect stable isotopes in microbial biomarkers.
- 06
Identification
The data identifies the microbes which have dominated the assimilation of an isotope from a contaminant of concern.
- 07
CSIA (optional)
Novorem can also subcontract Compound Specific Isotope Analysis to investigate fractionation of natural isotope abundance – generating evidence of biodegradation for organochlorines or hydrocarbons.
Contact us
Interested in how isotope probing can work for you?
- Phone
- +61 2 4869 3261
- info@novorem.com.au
- Post
- P.O. Box 1154, Moss Vale, NSW 2577
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