Research

The molecular, genetic and stable isotopic composition of organic matter is determined by its source. The elements – hydrogen, carbon, sulfur and nitrogen are basic constituents of organic matter and play key roles in biochemistry, ecology, climate change, hydrologic and atmospheric processes. Therefore stable isotopic compositions preserved in organic matter can provide powerful insights into these processes.

Compound specific isotope analysis – CSIA is important for determining the stable isotopic compositions of individual organic components in complex mixtures (e.g., petroleum, natural gases, sediments, soils, groundwater, potable waters and extracts from plants and other media). The WA Organic & Isotope Geochemistry (WA-OIG) led by Professor Kliti Grice are applying the CSIA technique (carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen) and molecular geochemical and (paleo)genomic techniques to infer relationships between components so that their origins and formation pathways can be established.

Research themes