Montag, 25. November 2013, 16:30 - 17:30 iCal

Aktuelle Themen in den Umweltgeowissenschaften III

Guest Lecturer: PD Dr. Thomas Hofstetter.

Title: Isotopic analyses of micropollutant transformation - From mechanistic studies to environmental applications

Eberhard Clar-Saal (2B 204), Center for Earth Sciences
Althanstrasse 14, UZA II, 1090 Wien

Seminar, Workshop, Kurs


A profound understanding of organic micropollutant transformation processes in the environment is essential to assess the impact of chemical pollution on humans and the environment. Successful applications in contaminated soils and aquifers have shown that the analysis of stable isotope ratios in individual organic compounds is becoming a key techniques for evaluating pollutant (bio)degradation. Recent advances in analytical techniques have increased the number of contaminant classes and reactions that can be examined, but, on the other hand, also challenged our understanding of degradation mechanisms and kinetics, especially in enzymatic systems.

 

As will be illustrated in this seminar for the assessment of nitro- and aminoaromatic compounds at a former explosives manufacturer, the combined investigation of C, N, and H isotope ratios offers unique opportunities to distinguish biotic and abiotic transformations quantitatively even if they occur in parallel. A more widespread application of compound-specific isotope analysis to emerging micropollutants, however, will depend on the elucidation of the kinetic isotope effects responsible for pathway-specific isotope fractionation trends.

 


Veranstalter

Umweltgeowissenschaften


Kontakt

Andreas Gondikas
Universität Wien
Umweltgeowissenschaften
0043 1 4277 53371
andreas.gondikas@univie.ac.at