title: Multi-element isotope fractionation concepts to characterize the biodegradation of hydrocarbons - from enzymes to the environment.
abstract: Multi-element compound-specific isotope fractionation (ME-CSIA) has become a state-of-the-art approach for identifying biotransformation reactions. In the last decade, several studies focused on the combined analysis of carbon and hydrogen stable isotopes upon biodegradation of hydrocarbons due to its widespread environmental occurrence as contaminants, often in high concentrations. Most known initial transformation reactions of hydrocarbons have been isotopically characterized in laboratory experiments using model cultures. The data suggest that several of these reactions - especially those occurring under anoxic conditions - can be identified by ME-CSIA, although a number of constraints have been realized which may lead to wrong ME-CSIA data interpretations in field studies. Generally, the applicability of ME-CSIA regarding hydrocarbon biodegradation needs to be corroborated in future field studies.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstraße 15, 03418 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: carsten.vogt@ufz.de.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstraße 15, 03418 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorer
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstraße 15, 03418 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Florin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Musat
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstraße 15, 03418 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Hermann
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Richnow
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004798:Enzymes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D006859:Hydrogen