Hi Alyson

Have you thought about using a compost made entirely of C4 plant material. This technique has been used to tack carbon from animal faeces into soil, so it should also provide suitable enrichment of the 13C in the worms.

Cheers

Max

Max Gibbs
NIWA, PO Box 11-115
Gate 10 Silverdale Rd
Hamilton 3251
New Zealand
 
Phone: +64 7856 1773
Fax: +64 7856 0151
Cell: 027 604 1449
Email: [log in to unmask]


>>> Alyson Eberhardt <[log in to unmask]> 13/06/2008 2:04 a.m. >>>
Hi all

I am evaluating turnover rates of fish (American eel) tissues. I am going to culture about 7 
pounds of earthworms to feed the eels and I would like to enrich the earthworms in both 15N and 
13C. I plan to add 99.9% 15N ammonium chloride to the worm feed, but am having difficulty 
identifying a cost effective carbon label (13C glucose will be too expensive in the quantity I 
anticipate needing). Cost is a big limiting factor for me; can anyone point me to a low cost carbon 
label? Or do suppliers of isotopically labeled organic material exist? Any insight will be greatly 
appreciated.

Many thanks,
Alyson


Alyson Eberhardt
Jackson Estuarine Laboratory
University of New Hampshire
85 Adams Point Road
Durham, NH 03824