Laser Spectrometry Development for Isotopic Analysis in Environmental and Medical Applications

will investigate the potential towards IR-absorption laser spectrometry for traceability of low-level very high precision measurements of stable isotopes and radiocarbon in carbon dioxide and methane, relevant for environmental monitoring and drug discovery applications.

Carbon-14 in particular is an ideal radioactive tracer for many processes and this project will culminate in the development of these measurements. (1) As the UK transitions towards 'net zero carbon', new and improved methods of verifying industrial emissions and atmospheric composition will be required. Atmospheric C-14 measurements allow for the estimation of the fossil-fuel fraction of CO2 and CH4. (2) C-14 as a tracer is vital for the rapid and cost-effective development of drugs, notably for the treatment of cancer. It is used in the early efficacy stage of drug development to understand how the human body will handle the drug in terms of the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME).