Welcome to the IsoNose Consortium

IsoNose is a European Initial Training Network (ITN) funded under the EU FP7 Marie Curie Initial Training Network scheme. The IsoNose consortium consists of eight international partners and five associated partners in five countries (Germany, France, Ireland, UK, USA). 

12 Early Stage Researchers (ESR, PhD-students) and 2 Experienced Researchers (ER, postdocs) perform competitive research on innovative stable isotope methods in the environment. Our fellows benefit from a highly attractive training program in industrial applications and skills such as presentations, management, outreach. On completion of their fellowship they are expected to be amongst the future leaders in this field.

IsoNose (Isotopic Tools as Novel Sensors of Earth Surface Resources)

Soil, water, and precious metals are major natural resources present at the Earth´s terrestrial surface. Their availability is regulated by massive biogeochemical transformations that take place as the chemical elements move from rock to soil, into plants, through ground water, into river water, and into ore deposits. These precious resources are currently being exploited to an extent that is unprecedented in the history of our planet. Our young researchers will be trained in the use of novel mass-spectrometric methods as ISOtopic tools as NOvel Sensors of Earth surface resources (IsoNose). This new emerging generation of scientists has the opportunity to build networks with instrument manufacturers, academic specialists in method development and applications, and private sector participants from the environmental, material certification, and metal ore resources fields. The researchers will use IsoNose as a platform to lead this emerging field into new areas, including the geosciences, environmental forensics, biomedical sciences, and mineral resource prospecting. 

Our objective is to use metal and metalloid stable isotopes to "scent", like with a nose, Earth Surface resources (hence “IsoNose”). The network focuses on three major Earth surface resources: soil, water and metals. Novel stable isotope techniques measuring the stable isotope fractionation of elements like silicon, iron, magnesium, zinc, and boron will disclose the processes by which these resources were formed and by which such metals are dispersed in industrial processes.

Full Partners GFZ IPGP Trinity College Dublin University of Southampton BAM GET Boliden Tara Mines Thermo Fisher Scientific Bremen

Associated Partners

Associated Partners Pennsylvania State University Oxford University Teck Filmbüro Potsdam Brazilan Nickel Ltd

Movie: "The Earth’s Surface and the Isotope Merry-Go-Round of the Chemical Elements"

Movie "Geochemical Treasure Hunt"

The movie features the workshop for primary school children "Geochemical Treasure Hunt".

Link to the movie.

Comic

IsoNose comic launched at the Goldschmidt 2017.

Comic download