Stable isotope analysis to indicate whether or not certain elements have been processed by an organism is based on the observation that

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Stable isotope analysis is based on the observation that microbes generally prefer using the lighter stable isotope of an element. Therefore, if an organism has processed a certain element, the ratio of the lighter isotope to the heavier isotope will be higher in the organism than in its environment. This can be used to identify whether or not an organism has processed a particular element.

Stable Isotope Analysis to Indicate Whether or Not Certain Elements