The stable isotope facility of IBED supports the research within the Institute, at UvA as well as other academic institutions and organizations in the areas of biogeochemistry, ecology, paleoecology, forensics, microbiology and nutrition.
The measurement of stable isotopes is a useful tool in many fields of study such as ecological, forensic and biological research. The natural differences in the stable isotopic composition can be used for example to determine the geographical origin of samples like agricultural products. Labelled chemicals can be used in the investigation of pathway or food web studies. The advantages of using labelled chemicals are that they are as harmless as their natural form, and they behave the same in the environment.