17Oenriched

17Oenriched refers to a sample of oxygen where the abundance of the oxygen-17 isotope is intentionally increased above its natural level. Oxygen is a naturally occurring element with three stable isotopes: oxygen-16 (16O), oxygen-17 (17O), and oxygen-18 (18O). Naturally, oxygen is composed of approximately 99.762% 16O, 0.038% 17O, and 0.200% 18O. Materials that are 17Oenriched have undergone a process to concentrate the 17O isotope, making its percentage significantly higher than the natural abundance.

The enrichment of 17O is typically achieved through physical separation techniques, such as fractional distillation of liquid oxygen or isotopic exchange reactions. These methods exploit subtle differences in the physical properties of isotopes, such as boiling points or diffusion rates, to separate them. The resulting 17Oenriched material can have a purity of several percent or even higher for the 17O isotope, depending on the enrichment level achieved and the intended application.

17Oenriched compounds and materials find applications in various scientific research fields. They are used as tracers in studies of chemical reaction mechanisms, where the unique nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) properties of 17O can provide detailed information about molecular structure and dynamics. In atmospheric science and paleoclimate research, 17O variations are used to understand processes such as evaporation, condensation, and hydrological cycles. Furthermore, 17Oenriched water can be employed in studies of water transport and metabolism in biological systems. The availability of 17Oenriched samples allows researchers to probe specific isotopic signatures and gain deeper insights into complex natural phenomena.