The Elements: A Very Short Introduction

The Elements: A Very Short Introduction
Author: Philip Ball
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2004-04-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0192840991

This Very Short Introduction is an exciting and non-traditional approach to understanding the terminology, properties, and classification of chemical elements. It traces the history and cultural impact of the elements on humankind from ancient times through today. Packed with anecdotes, The Elements is a highly engaging and entertaining exploration of the fundamental question: what is the world made from?

Isotopes

Isotopes
Author: Rob Ellam
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2016
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0198723628

Isotopes are used in many areas of science and technology, including medicine, archaeology, and nuclear physics. They are central to our understanding of the Earth's past and current processes. Here, Rob Ellam explains the importance and applications of stable and radioactive isotopes.

Application of Radioactive Isotopes in Microbiology

Application of Radioactive Isotopes in Microbiology
Author: All-Union Scientific & Technical Conference on the Application of Isotopes Staff
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 28
Release: 2013-11-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1475745230

1. The labeled atom method enables us to measure the rate of geochemical activity of microorganisms in conditions close to the natural. 2. Experiments with labeled sulfate showed that the hydrogen sulfide in underground waters of the sulfur and oil deposits of Shor -su is of biogenic origin. 3. The oxidation of hydrogen sulfide underground waters in the third and fourth horizons of Shor -Su also takes place with the participation of microorganisms. LITERATURE CITED [1] S.N. Vinogradskii, "Microbiological analysis of soil. Principles of a new method," Microbiology of the Soil [in Russian] (Academy of Sciences USSR Press, 1952), pp. 446-470. [2] S.N. Vinogradskii, "The direct method in the microbiological investigation of soil," Microbiology of the Soil [in Russian] (Academy of Sciences USSR Press, 1952), p. 399. (3] S.N. Vinogradskii, "Principles of ecological microbiology. Conclusion," Microbiology of the Soil [in Russian] (Academy of Sciences USSR Press, 1952), p. 781. 14 [4] S.I. Kuznetsov, "The use of radioactive carbon (C ) in the form of carbon dioxide for determining the relative values of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis in a number of lakes of different types," Collection: Isotopes in Microbiology (in Russian] (Academy of Sciences USSR Press, 1955), p. 126. [5] Iu.I. Sorokin, "Productivity of chemosynthesis in mud deposits: Doklady Akad. Nauk SSSR 103, 5, 875 (1955). [6] M. V. Ivanov, "The use of isotopes in the study of the rate of sulfate reduction in Lake Belovod," Mi krobiologiia 25, 305 (1956).

Carbon Isotope Techniques

Carbon Isotope Techniques
Author: David C. Coleman
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 287
Release: 2012-12-02
Genre: Science
ISBN: 032315767X

Carbon Isotope Techniques deals with the use of carbon isotopes in studies of plant, soil, and aquatic biology. Topics covered include photosynthesis/translocation studies in terrestrial ecosystems; carbon relationships of plant-microbial symbioses; microbe/plant/soil interactions; and environmental and aquatic toxicology. Stable carbon isotope ratios of natural materials are also considered. Comprised of 15 chapters, this book begins with an introduction to radiation-counting instruments used in measuring the radioactivity in soil and plant samples containing carbon-14. The discussion then turns to the basic methods of 14C use in plant science, highlighted by three examples of applications in the field of plant physiology and ecology. Subsequent chapters explore the use of carbon isotope techniques for analyzing the carbon relationships of plant-microbial symbioses; the interactions of microbes, plants, and soils; and the degradation of herbicides and organic xenobiotics. Carbon dating and bomb carbon are also described. The final section is devoted to the uses and procedures for 13C and 11C. This monograph is intended for advanced undergraduate or graduate students, as well as generalist scientists who have not previously used radioisotopes or stable isotopes in their research.

Nitrogen Isotope Techniques

Nitrogen Isotope Techniques
Author: Roger Knowles
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 1992-10
Genre: Science
ISBN:

This book is the first laboratory manual to bring together basic procedures for measurement of stable and radioactive isotopes of nitrogen, with specific applications to plant, soil, and aquatic biology. This bench-top reference gives practical coverage of mass and emission spectrometry, nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and identification, organic nitrogen, and the radioactive isotope 13N. Methods are described so that researchers can adapt them, without the aid of outside references, to virtually any task they may encounter in investigations of nitrogen transformation processes. Serves as a practical guide for nitrogen isotope techniques Features studies of nitrogen transformations in terrestrial and aquatic systems Includes basic measurement techniques plus specific applications for stable and radioactive nitrogen isotopes Presents detailed protocols, overviews, and key references Includes fifty figures and sixteen tables Hands-on reference for both students and researchers

Compound-specific Stable Isotope Analysis

Compound-specific Stable Isotope Analysis
Author: Maik A Jochmann
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2015-11-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1782626107

The use of Compound-specific Stable Isotope Analysis (CSIA) is increasing in many areas of science and technology for source allocation, authentication, and characterization of transformation reactions. Until now, there have been no textbooks available for students with an analytical chemical background or basic introductory books emphasising the instrumentation and theory. This book is the first to focus solely on stable isotope analysis of individual compounds in sometimes complex mixtures. It acts as both a lecture companion for students and a consultant for advanced scientists in fields including forensic and environmental science. The book starts with a brief history of the field before going on to explain stable isotopes from scratch. The different ways to express isotope abundances are introduced together with isotope effects and isotopic fractionation. A detailed account of the required technical equipment and general procedures for CSIA is provided. This includes sections on derivatization and the use of microextraction techniques in GC-IRMS. The very important topic of referencing and calibration in CSIA is clearly described. This differs from approaches used in quantitative analysis and is often difficult for the newcomer to comprehend. Examples of successful applications of CSIA in food authenticity, forensics, archaeology, doping control, environmental science, and extraterrestrial materials are included. Applications in isotope data treatment and presentation are also discussed and emphasis is placed on the general conclusions that can be drawn from the uses of CSIA. Further instrumental developments in the field are highlighted and selected experiments are introduced that may act as a basis for a short practical course at graduate level.

Centrifugal Separations in Molecular and Cell Biology

Centrifugal Separations in Molecular and Cell Biology
Author: G.D. Birnie
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2014-06-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1483278417

Centrifugal Separations in Molecular and Cell Biology focuses on the application of modern centrifugation technology in molecular and cell biology, including the separation and fractionation of biological particles by centrifugation on the preparative and analytical scales. The selection first covers the principles and practices of centrifugation and the bases of centrifugal separations. Discussions focus on the basic concepts of sedimentation theory, centrifugation methods, designing centrifugation experiments, care of centrifuges and rotors, and statistical estimation of molecular parameters. The book also ponders on the practical aspects of rate-zonal centrifugation, including gradient materials, density and viscosity of glycerol solutions, and resolution and gradient shape. The publication examines fractionations in zonal rotors and the quantitative aspects of rate-zonal centrifugation. The text then reviews isopycnic centrifugation in ionic media and analytical centrifugation. Topics include separation by isopycnic banding, large-scale preparative procedures, and density-gradient solutes. The selection is a valuable reference for readers interested in centrifugation technology.

Isotopes for Medicine and the Life Sciences

Isotopes for Medicine and the Life Sciences
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 144
Release: 1995-01-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309176697

Radioactive isotopes and enriched stable isotopes are used widely in medicine, agriculture, industry, and science, where their application allows us to perform many tasks more accurately, more simply, less expensively, and more quickly than would otherwise be possible. Indeed, in many casesâ€"for example, biological tracersâ€"there is no alternative. In a stellar example of "technology transfer" that began before the term was popular, the Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors has supported the development and application of isotopes and their transfer to the private sector. The DOE is now at an important crossroads: Isotope production has suffered as support for DOE's laboratories has declined. In response to a DOE request, this book is an intensive examination of isotope production and availability, including the education and training of those who will be needed to sustain the flow of radioactive and stable materials from their sources to the laboratories and medical care facilities in which they are used. Chapters include an examination of enriched stable isotopes; reactor and accelerator-produced radionuclides; partnerships among industries, national laboratories, and universities; and national isotope policy.

Stable Isotope Geochemistry

Stable Isotope Geochemistry
Author: John W. Valley
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 676
Release: 2018-12-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1501508741

Volume 43 of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry follows the 1986 Reviews in Mineralogy (Vol. 16) in approach but reflects significant changes in the field of Stable Isotope Geochemistry. In terms of new technology, new sub-disciplines, and numbers of researchers, the field has changed more in the past decade than in any other since that of its birth. Unlike the 1986 volume, which was restricted to high temperature fields, this book covers a wider range of disciplines. However, it would not be possible to fit a comprehensive review into a single volume. Our goal is to provide state-of-the-art reviews in chosen subjects that have emerged or advanced greatly since 1986. This volume was prepared for Short Course on Stable Isotope Geochemistry presented November 2-4, 2001 in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Geological Society of America in Boston, Massachusetts.