By Allison Chan
We have all learned that an isotope is a
form of an element with a different number of neutrons and the same number of
protons. While isotopes may have seemed a dry topic in high school chemistry,
they are in fact an incredibly valuable tool for research in disciplines
spanning from anthropology to atmospheric science.
Unbeknownst to many, a world-class isotope
ratio analysis facility is housed here at the University of Utah.
The Stable Isotope Ratio Facility for
Environmental Research (SIRFER) was started in 1986 and has since been
providing sample analysis for departments around campus and around the
world.
SIRFER is a re-charge facility, meaning
that there is a fee charged for each sample that is run. The revenue from samples is used to
maintain the day-to-day operations of the facility. SIRFER has the capability
of analyzing stable isotope ratios of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O),
nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) from organic solids, water samples, or trace
gases.
But the real question is, why are isotopes
useful?
Stable isotopes can be used to track the
movement of materials through a system, whether from an individual plant or an
entire ecosystem. For example, ecologists used isotopic analysis following the British
Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. By examining how the isotopic
composition of microorganisms was changing, they were able to determine to what
extent they were picking up the isotopic signature of the oil.
Brad Erkkila, manager of SIRFER, is in
charge of running the samples that are sent into the lab and maintaining the
instruments. Samples are run against quality control standards in order to
ensure good data. In this way, although he does not always know the source of
the samples he is analyzing, he can still evaluate whether the instrument is
functioning properly and if he is getting correct results.
Erkkila finds the most exciting part of his
job is developing new methods by which to run samples.
The facility that he runs, tries to meet
the analysis needs of the faculty members on campus, so sometimes that means
having to change the way in which a particular instrument is calibrated or how
a sample is treated.
As new technologies become available,
SIRFER is continually striving to provide the most up-to-date analysis
methods. However, in addition to providing quality
isotope analysis, SIRFER is also interested in education and outreach.
Employees at SIRFER have worked with junior
high and high school students through the Salt Lake Center for Science
Education. One recent project has been helping high school students on a
science fair project to analyze the diet of hawks by examining the stable
isotope composition of their feathers. The project was recently selected to
continue on to the international science competition.
Perhaps the biggest educational endeavor
that SIRFER undertakes each year is running an intensive two-week long summer
course called “IsoCamp.” Graduate students and post-docs from universities
across the U.S. and internationally apply for a spot in this highly selective
course. About 80-100 students apply, but only 25-30 students gain admission
into the course.
Students in the course have varied academic
backgrounds and come from many different departments.
Danielle Marias, a first-year graduate
student in the Forestry department at Oregon State University, is one of the
students who will be participating in this summer’s Isocamp. She explained, “I wanted to come to IsoCamp because it is a unique
opportunity to learn about such a versatile tool in ecology and collaborate
with and meet others who are also using isotopes in their research. Also,
Isocamp's lab portion is appealing to me because OSU’s isotope course does not
offer that.”
Olivia Miller, a graduate
student in the geology department at the University of Utah, corroborates
Marias’ excitement to meet new people who share an interest in stable isotopes.
Another geology student at the U, Glynis Jehle, said, “I'd like to know more about what my results mean in terms of
ecology and paleoecology, which is basically what this class involves--how to
interpret the different isotopic signatures environmental materials give.”
Students in the course will
receive lectures from a wide range of experts who use isotopes in their
research. The diversity of speakers provides students with a comprehensive
perspective of the ways in which isotopic research has been employed. In
addition to the lecture portion of the course, students also get the
opportunity to spend time working with the instruments in the SIRFER lab.
They will get hands on
experience with the entire process of sample analysis including sample
collection, preparation, and interpretation of results. Importantly, the close-knit community
fostered by the IsoCamp course encourages future collaborations among
students.
SIRFER’s commitment to
quality isotope analysis, education, and outreach has introduced a diverse
group of people to the world of isotope research and has provided the
infrastructure needed for today’s researchers to analyze samples with the most
up-to-date technologies.
While the SIRFER lab may seem
an unassuming space, they are quietly churning out world-class isotopic
analysis everyday.
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| Inside the SIRFER lab. |
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| Brad Erkkil, SIRFER lab manager. |
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