Biogeochemistry in the OGU
Biogeochemistry concerns the scientific study of chemical, physical, geological and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment (including the biosphere, the hydrosphere, the pedosphere, the atmosphere, and the lithosphere), and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space. Research within the OGU focusses on molecular biogeochemistry.
Molecular biogeochemistry is the study of the source, structure, and distribution of naturally occurring compounds (biomarkers) such that their presence in ancient or modern ecosystems can be used to elucidate processes or environmental conditions. The concepts, dicoveries and techniques formulated and developed in this area of research fundamentally underpin all of the other topics researched within the OGU. Such research requires a variety of chemical extraction and degradation techniques and the diverse analytical techniques necessary to identify such biomarkers (e.g GC-FID, -FPD, -MS, -MS/MS; Preparatory GC; pyrolysis GC/MS; HPLC/MS). Moreover, advancements in the past decade allow determination of the radiocarbon (14C), stable carbon (δ13C), stable hydrogen (δD), stable nitrogen (δ15N) and stable oxygen (δ18O) isotopic compositions of individual biomarkers, which profoundly expand the environmental information contained in such compounds.
Within the University of Bristol a number of research groups work in this area under the auspices of the Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre.