Microbial Insights

Microbes require carbon sources to make new cells and grow. Biodegradation of contaminants occurs when resident microbes break down the contaminant to use as a carbon source. SIP allows you to see that carbon atoms from the contaminant have been metabolized and incorporated into bacterial cells.

Carbon exists in various isotope forms, with carbon-12 (12C) being by far the most abundant. It is possible to enrich specific compounds of interest (benzene, MTBE, etc ) with a stable isotope of carbon (13C). If the enriched compound is broken down and used as a carbon source by microbes, the 13C molecules will be seen in the microbial cells (biomass).