Monday, 21 September, 2026
Anthropogenic eutrophication of Lake Titicaca (Bolivia) revealed by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes fingerprinting
The contribution of stable isotopes of antimony for tracing pollution sources and transfer processes in aquatic environments.
Multi-isotope (Pb, Sb) approach to trace metallic contaminant sources at a historical mining and metallurgical site
Antimony isotope fractionation during Sb(V) and Sb(III) adsorption on secondary Fe-minerals (schwertmannite, ferrihydrite) typical of mine waters
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Insights · Courses · Resources

Insights on isotope traceability, pollution sources and material origin.

A knowledge hub for understanding where traceability can fail, what stable isotopes can reveal, and how scientific evidence can support decisions in polluted sites, water systems, raw materials and supply chains.

Explore real cases View isotope guides
From evidence gaps to source fingerprints

Science for traceability decisions.

Traceability · Isotopes · Decisions
When traceability fails

Real cases show why independent evidence matters.

When the question becomes origin, mixing, provenance or source attribution, material and isotope fingerprints can add another level of evidence.

Commodity storage $1.3M

Nickel bags that contained stones

JPMorgan was reported to be the owner of bags stored in an LME warehouse that were expected to contain nickel but were found to contain stones instead.

Traceability lesson: warehouse documentation and contractual confidence still require physical verification.
Source
Metals trading $590M

Fake nickel cargoes and low-value material

The Trafigura nickel case involved cargoes presented as high-grade nickel that were alleged to contain low-value or worthless material instead.

Traceability lesson: in high-value supply chains, material identity and material origin are not the same question.
Source
Counterfeiting $467B

Global trade in counterfeit goods

OECD and EUIPO estimated global trade in counterfeit goods at approximately USD 467 billion in 2021, corresponding to 2.3% of total global imports.

Traceability lesson: authenticity claims need evidence capable of linking a product to its real origin.
Source
Timber origin 46%

Certified birch samples mislabelled

Chemical fingerprinting of birch wood reportedly found that 46% of tested certified samples did not match their labelled country of origin.

Traceability lesson: certification systems may benefit from independent origin testing when provenance claims carry legal, environmental or reputational risk.
Source
Sources for the real-world cases
Business Insider · Nickel bags Reuters · Nickel case OECD · EUIPO · Trade in fakes The Guardian · Birch provenance
Isotope guides

Short explanations that turn isotope science into usable knowledge.

Element-specific guides for understanding source tracing, isotope fractionation and provenance.

δ

What is isotope fractionation?

Understand why isotopes of the same element can behave slightly differently during physical, chemical or biological processes.

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Pb

What Pb isotopes can reveal

Lead isotopes can distinguish geological background, mining residues, industrial inputs and mixed contamination sources.

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Sb

What Sb isotopes can add

Antimony isotopes can help investigate mine waters, adsorption processes, metallic contamination and source-transfer processes.

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Sr

What Sr isotopes can indicate

Strontium isotopes are useful for provenance questions because they can reflect geological and geographical signatures.

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Cu

Cu isotopes and processes

Copper isotope signatures can support interpretation of contamination, redox processes and anthropogenic inputs.

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Zn

Zn isotopes and metal sources

Zinc isotopes can complement concentration data when different metallic sources or transformation processes overlap.

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Li

Li isotopes and critical materials

Lithium isotope signatures can be relevant to raw material provenance, processing questions and critical material traceability.

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Ni

Ni and Co isotope questions

Nickel and cobalt are strategic elements for energy transition supply chains, where origin and material verification are increasingly important.

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Application notes

From scientific insight to practical use cases.

Practical examples of how isotope and geochemical evidence can answer traceability and source-attribution questions.

01

Polluted sites and soils

When concentration maps show contamination but cannot clearly separate natural background, historical activity and active industrial inputs.

Pb Sb Cu Zn
02

Mine tailings and legacy pollution

When old residues, secondary minerals and remobilisation processes complicate interpretation of a contamination plume.

Sb Pb Zn
03

Water and sediment transfer

When the source is upstream, the signal downstream, and water, particles and sediments all modify the apparent contamination pattern.

Particles Water Sediment
04

Raw material traceability

When the question is not only chemical composition, but whether a material is consistent with a declared geological or geographical origin.

Sr Li Ni Co
05

Critical raw materials

When supply chains need stronger evidence for provenance, mixing, recycling, substitution risk or supplier comparison.

Li Ni Co Sr
06

Authenticity and substitution risk

When documents, labels or declarations need to be complemented by independent material fingerprints.

Origin Batch Fingerprint
Courses · MOOCs · External resources

A curated learning space for isotope and environmental science.

Courses and selected external resources for visitors who want to explore the science in greater depth.

01

IsotopiX courses

Free, short courses on isotopes, isotope fractionation, isotope tracers and environmental science, designed to make key concepts easier to understand.

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02

Selected MOOCs

Curated external courses on water sciences, water treatment, climate, environmental contamination and related subjects.

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03

Other resources

Documentaries, alternative websites and external resources for visitors who want to learn without following a complete course.

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From insight to action

Have a traceability, origin or contamination question?

Contact IsotopiX when you need to move from general understanding to a concrete isotope strategy for a site, material, product or supply chain.

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