Isobar Science: Defining Contamination Sources using Boron Isotopes

MIAMI, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Isobar Science performs high-quality boron isotope analysis in water samples for contaminant source tracking.

What is Contamination?
Contamination within the environment often occurs as nutrient contamination, when there is an excess of nutrient input into the landscape; commonly arising from agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, or even emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels.

The source type can be described as either a point source or a nonpoint source in nature. Point sources can be directly attributable to one influence and are relatively easy to track and regulate. Nonpoint source pollution comes from ill-defined sources, are difficult to regulate and usually vary spatially and temporally (e.g. varying with season or an irregular event).

How are contamination sources tracked?
Boron (δ¹¹B) isotopes can provide insights into the location and source of excess nutrients entering the environment. Typically, δ¹¹B is measured within the soils and/or water of various areas within a zone of interest - including at potential contamination source sites, natural (unexposed) sites, and known contamination zones - allowing one to map and track potential transportation through the landscape.

Why should contamination be tracked?
Nutrients accumulate in soils and can remain there for years, eventually spreading into the water system through either surface or groundwater - seriously impacting the environment, human health, and the economy. An oversupply of nutrients can cause harmful algal blooms, loss of biodiversity and species shifts, and ultimately, changes to the food web structure. Harmful algal blooms can close beaches and other recreational areas and can limit the fishing industry. Finally, nutrient pollution can directly impact human health drinking water contamination, resulting in stomach and liver issues, respiratory problems/conditions and neurological effects.

Based on these significant impacts, it's essential to trace where the nutrient pollution comes from and track its movement through the environment to ensure treatment can be delivered at the pollution source.

Contact Isobar for more details on contamination source tracking.

About Isobar Science
Isobar Science is a subsidiary of Beta Analytic, an ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited international carbon-14 testing laboratory. Isobar specializes in isotope services for Geochronology, Geochemical Fingerprinting, and Environmental Source-Tracking. Isobar is committed to high-quality results in a timely fashion and excellent customer support. 

Learn more at www.isobarscience.com

Contact Information:
Isobar Science
[email protected] 

SOURCE Isobar Science