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Isotopes

Isotopes

Elements have a set number of protons that determines their atomic number (Z). For example, all atoms with eight protons are oxygen; however, the number of neutrons can vary for atoms of the same element. The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are called isotopes. Elements can have multiple isotopes, for example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.
An element's atomic mass, or weight,...

Elements: Chemical Symbols and Isotopes

Elements: Chemical Symbols and Isotopes

A chemical symbol is an abbreviation used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. For example, the symbol for mercury is Hg. The same symbol is used to indicate one atom of mercury (microscopic domain) or to label a container of many atoms of the element mercury (macroscopic domain).
Some symbols are derived from the common English name of the element; others are abbreviations of the name in another language — Latin, Greek or German. For example, the symbol for aluminum (common name)...

Organic Compounds

Organic Compounds

All living things are formed mostly of carbon compounds called organic compounds. The category of organic compounds includes both natural and synthetic compounds that contain carbon. Although a single, precise definition has yet to be identified by the chemistry community, most agree that a defining trait of organic molecules is the presence of carbon as the principal element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. However, some carbon-containing compounds such as carbonates, cyanides, and...

Molecules and Compounds

Molecules and Compounds

Atoms and Molecules

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing...

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect

Most elements exist in nature as a mixture of isotopes. The isotopes differ in weight due to their respective number of neutrons. The molecular weight of a molecule is different depending on the specific isotope of its elements involved. As a result, the mass spectrum of the molecule exhibits peaks from the same fragment at multiple positions. The positions of these mass signals depend on the mass differences between isotopes. Furthermore, the intensity of these signals is dependent on the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids BPCA

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids BPCA

Published on: May 16, 2016

Compound-Specific Isotope Geochemistry in the Ocean.

Hilary G Close¹

¹Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA;

Annual Review of Marine Science

|July 26, 2018

Summary

Compound-specific isotope analysis reveals marine ecosystem details often missed by bulk measurements. Future improvements could make this technique a standard tool for oceanographic data collection.

Keywords:

CSIA compound-specific isotope analysis organic geochemistry radiocarbon sediments stable isotopes water column

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Last Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Characterization, Quantification and Compound-specific Isotopic Analysis of Pyrogenic Carbon Using Benzene Polycarboxylic Acids BPCA

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Published on: May 16, 2016

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Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS

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Published on: August 31, 2017

Area of Science:

Geochemistry
Marine Biology
Paleoecology

Background:

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) examines isotope ratios in individual organic molecules.
CSIA in marine environments reveals complex sources, alteration processes, and metabolic signatures.
CSIA offers insights into metazoan diets and paleoecological reconstructions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the theoretical basis of CSIA.
To discuss applications in marine carbon cycling and trophic relationships.
To identify methodological limitations and future potential of CSIA.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on compound-specific isotope analysis.
Examination of applications in marine carbon cycling and trophic studies.
Analysis of methodological challenges and advancements.

Main Results:

CSIA provides higher resolution data than bulk isotope analysis in marine systems.
CSIA has been applied to reconstruct metazoan diets and paleoecological information.
Despite its utility, CSIA is not yet widely adopted in marine research.

Conclusions:

CSIA offers unique insights into marine ecosystems, metabolism, and paleoecology.
Methodological advancements are needed to increase the accessibility and application of CSIA.
CSIA has the potential to become a cornerstone for building global oceanographic datasets.