The isotope detection method is a technique widely used in geology, biology, environmental science, and other fields, which takes advantage of the special properties of isotopes for sample analysis and detection. An isotope is the same element in the nucleus of an atom that has the same number of protons (i.e., atomic number) but a different mass number. Due to the mass differences between isotopes, they exhibit different behaviors in physical, chemical, and biological processes, and can therefore be used as markers or indicators to track and measure the presence and transformation of specific substances in samples.
Isotope detection methods have many advantages. First, isotopes can provide important information about the origin and evolution of a particular substance in a sample. For example, in geology, by measuring the isotope ratio of uranium and lead in rocks, it is possible to determine the time and process of formation of rocks. In biology, by measuring the isotopic ratios of elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in cells, it is possible to understand cellular metabolic processes and energy transfer pathways. Secondly, the isotope detection method has high sensitivity and high accuracy. The isotope fractionation effect makes the amount of different isotopes in the sample vary greatly, so it is possible to obtain information about specific substances in the sample by measuring this difference. In addition, modern isotope detection methods have been able to achieve measurement accuracy in the microgram or even nanogram range, which is sufficient for many fields of scientific research.
Common isotope detection methods include mass spectrometry, radioisotope method, stable isotope method, etc.
1.Mass spectrometry: Mass spectrometry is a method that uses a mass spectrometer to measure and analyze the relative abundance of isotopes in a sample. By ionizing the sample molecular compounds and accelerating them into an electric field, the amount of a particular isotope in the sample can be determined based on the mass difference in the isotope based on its mass-to-mass ratio.
2.Radioisotope method: The radioisotope method is a method of detection using isotopes with radioactive decay. This method determines the amount of a specific substance in a sample by measuring the rate of decay of the radioisotope in the sample. For example, radiocarbon-14(14c) can be used to determine the age of organic matter.
3.Stable isotope method: The stable isotope method is a method that utilizes elements with stable isotopes for detection. This method determines the amount of a particular substance in a sample by measuring the relative abundance of stable isotopes in the sample. For example, the oxygen isotope ratio (δ18o) can be used to determine the water source and hydrological processes.
Isotope detection methods have a wide range of applications in environmental science, geology, biology, food safety and other fields. It provides accurate, sensitive, and reliable analytical results that help understand the origin, evolution, and transformation of samples, as well as assess issues such as environmental contamination and food safety.