Isotope Hydrology Laboratory - Final WICO 2011 Report
Posted
15
MAY
2012
The final WICO 2011 report is now available for download. The report provides the outcome of a world-wide proficiency test for 137 laboratories conducting routine analysis of δ2H and δ18O in water by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS). This test revealed that >90 % of laboratory submissions provided acceptable results within ± 2 ‰ for δ2H and ± 0.2 ‰ for δ18O of the established reference values for test waters, and no difference in outcomes based on IRMS vs. LAS technology was found.
However, when including each laboratory's stated precision as an assessment criterion, over 30 % of laboratories had overstated their precision or had very poor precision. The primary cause of outliers appeared to be improper calibration or compromised storage of laboratory standard and primary reference waters, so the importance of proper storage and handling of lab standards cannot be understated. The poor practice of single standard normalization was also identified as a problem for some laboratories. We recommend laboratories strive to report long-term precisions based upon control standards. A synthesis of the WICO report is currently in press in Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry.
For further information please contact Leonard Wassenaar.
New Animation Feature Explains How Isotopes Work
Posted
01
FEB
2012
The Water Resources Programme has completed a five-minute animation film explaining how isotopes work within the water cycle, and how isotope hydrology can use these 'fingerprints' to uncover the different sources of water and trace its movement. The film starts by discussing the general issues surrounding water resources and water availability, as well as the information required to properly assess water resources in terms of quantity and quality.
Later, it zooms into a water drop and illustrates the different behaviour of water molecules containing heavier and lighter stable isotopes; all water in nature has differing isotopic contents, which can be used to trace the component of the water cycle. The animation progresses into an explanation of how another set of isotopes — radioactive isotopes — are used for dating groundwater, from a few months up to a million years old. The dating tools provide us with information about the dynamics of the water cycle, including the age, recharge rates and flow velocities of groundwater. Further development of isotopic tools for tracing the origin of water and dating groundwater is currently a strong focus of the Water Resources Programme.
Isotope Hydrology Laboratory News
Posted
20
DEC
2011
The IAEA is releasing an updated summary document based on presentations and discussions held during the Liquid Isotope Analyzer Users' meeting held at the IAEA in November 2011. The document expands on a version of tips and tricks released in 2009; both report on the experiences of laser analyser users and answer typically undocumented questions and problems that have arisen during the operation of these instruments.
In 2011, the IAEA Isotope Hydrology Laboratory also organized the fourth interlaboratory comparison exercise (WICO2011) for laboratories engaged in routine analysis of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope composition of water samples. Similar exercises were carried out in 1995, 1999, and 2002. The exercise was announced in February 2011, and 137 laboratories from 53 countries submitted datasets to the IAEA. The draft report of WICO2011 containing the preliminary results and conclusions is now available. Large size figures of the WICO2011 report are available in a ZIP file for easier view.
A Rare Krypton-81 Isotope Helps Track Water in Ancient Nubian Aquifer
Posted
05
DEC
2011
Read a recent New York Times article featuring some of the IAEA's work.
The Nubian Aquifer, the font of fabled oases in Egypt and Libya, stretches languidly across 770,000 square miles of northern Africa, a pointillist collection of underground pools of water migrating, ever so slowly, through rock and sand toward the Mediterranean Sea.
The aquifer is one of the world's oldest. But its workings — how it flows and how quickly surface water replenishes it — have been hard to understand, in part because the tools available to study it have provided, at best, a blurry image.
Resources
Atlas of Isotope Hydrology
Morocco
The sustainablity of groundwater resources for drinking water supplies, agriculture, and industry is a prime concern in countries dominated by arid and semi-arid climates such as Morocco. Full text
STI/PUB/1480, 2010, ISBN 978-92-0-111010-7,
English.
Atlas of Isotope Hydrology
The Americas
It was completed in 2009, and it focuses on about
19 000 isotope records from 150 projects in 23 IAEA Member States in the Americas where environmental isotopes were used to assess water resources between 1968 and 2008. Full text
STI/PUB/1423, 2009, ISBN 978-92-0-110009-2,
English. 110.00 Euro.
Atlas of Isotope Hydrology
Asia and the Pacific
It was released in 2008, and focuses on about 105 projects in 16 Member States carried out between 1973 and 2007, and includes maps, statistics and data plots created from nearly 16 000 isotope records. Full text
STI/PUB/1364, 2008, ISBN 978-92-0-111008-4,
English. 110.00 Euro.
Atlas of Isotope Hydrology
Africa
It was the first atlas made, and was released in 2007. It involved the gathering of nearly 10 500 isotope records from about 80 IAEA projects in 26 African countries from 1973 to 2007. Groundwater provides nearly 2/3 of drinking water on the continent. Full text
STI/PUB/1302, 2007, ISBN 978-92-0-107207-8,
English. 110.00 Euro.
Monographs
Handbooks in isotope hydrology and specialized publications on concrete hydrological applications of isotope techniques dating from the 1970s until today.
Find all monograph publications in PDF.
Symposia
Proceedings from conferences on isotope hydrology, water resources, and environmental change — including oral and poster presentations — dating back to 1963.
Find all symposium publications in PDF.
IAEA-Tecdocs
The IAEA Technical documents summarizing results of Coordinated Research Projects and technical cooperation projects involving the use of isotope techniques in hydrology.
Find all technical document publications in PDF.
Water & Environment News
The Isotope Hydrology newsletter - produced twice a year- contains the latest information as well as project insights. The hard copy is for distribution to individuals and institutions in IAEA Member States free of charge upon request, subject to availability.
All of the published issues of the newsletter are available here on-line in PDF format.
Global Network of Isotope in Precipitation
This joint IAEA/WMO programme – monitoring isotopes in precipitation for the past 50 years – provides information for hydrological and other applications.
Climate Change and the Atom
Developing the right response to climate change requires that we understand the science behind it. Isotopes in marine sediments, ice cores and other paleoclimatic archives can help reconstruct the
world´s climate history, including impact on the hydrological cycle.
Water Resources Programme Leaflet
This Leaflet explains ‘Solutions Through Science’ and how this motto is applied by the Water Resources Programme.
Water Resources Programme Brochure
The IAEA has been a pioneer in developing isotope hydrology as a powerful and effective scientific approach. Find out how the programme supports Member States in water resources management.
Liquid-Water Stable Isotope Analyser
Laser based instruments have the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in isotope applications. This contains a document describing extensive laboratory testing performed by the IAEA, a 45 minute video demonstrating how to assemble an analyser, as well as other resources. Watch the tutorial video
Related Resources
Overview of Laboratory Isotope Analysis Methods for Water Resources Studies
Proper preparation and analysis of isotope samples are essential for the interpretation and development of a sound assessment of water resources and potential water supplies. Watch the tutorial video
Related Resources
Introduction to Water Sampling and Analysis for Isotope Hydrology
This video is meant to guide practitioners and researchers in hydrological work in their activities, to efficiently gather information and thus enhance knowledge of particular water supplies. Watch the tutorial video
Related Resources
Posted on 13 October 2011
Nobel Laureate Dr. Chu Speaks About the Benefits of Using Isotopes
Dr. Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate for Physics and Secretary of Energy of the United States of America gave a keynote address at the IAEA's Scientific Forum on Water on September 20, 2011. Dr. Chu focused on the use of isotopes to study the water cycle, climate change, and groundwater age.
