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Position-Specific Isotope Analysis as a Fingerprint for Pollutants

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Handbook of Isotopologue Biogeochemistry

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Abstract

Better methodologies appear to be necessary for detecting the origins of given pollutants, and for understanding the natural processes involved in their migration routes, abiotic degradation, biodegradation, and eventual disappearance. In addition, it is essential to check whether treatment leads to complete mineralization or if cleaning of the polluted area is effective. Isotopic measurement is a fundamental tool that can be used in the management of a pollution to provide indicators as to containment, spread, and bioremediation possibilities. As a complete illustration of this principle, organic contaminants frequently detected in surface and groundwater are given as an example.

Stable isotopes have been used successfully to demonstrate the natural or enhanced biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, and gasoline additives in soil and groundwater. So far, overall isotopic fractionation in 13C and 2H have been exploited, the isotope content being measured by isotope ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), but this leads to the loss of valuable position-related information. In contrast, NMR spectrometry and pyrolysis coupled to GC-C-IRMS (Py-GC-C-IRMS) offer the capability to measure position-specific 13C/12C ratios, giving new information. Isotopic NMR and Py-GC-C-IRMS methodologies allow to determine position-specific isotope effects involved in physical transformations (volatilization and migration), chemical (hydrolysis and oxidation) as well as degradation by microorganisms. The construction of models provides a unique means to allow detailed detection and tracing of a given pollutant and the determination of its origin as well.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, CEISAM, UMR 6230, Nantes Université, Nantes, France

    Maxime Julien

  2. Capacités, Nantes Université, Nantes, France

    Maxime Julien

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  1. Maxime Julien
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Correspondence to Maxime Julien .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept Chem Sci & Eng, Tokyo Inst Tech, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

    Naohiro Yoshida

  2. Earth-Life Sci Inst, Tokyo Inst Tech, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Alexis Gilbert

  3. Earth-Life Sci Inst, Tokyo Inst Tech, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Julien Foriel

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Julien, M. (2023). Position-Specific Isotope Analysis as a Fingerprint for Pollutants. In: Yoshida, N., Gilbert, A., Foriel, J. (eds) Handbook of Isotopologue Biogeochemistry. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7048-8_43-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7048-8_43-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-7048-8

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