A note from Corrie about her research:
I’ve been conducting lab work at the University of Bristol, School of Chemistry as part of a successful NEIF funding application. I am preparing archaeological and modern bone collagen samples from Lake Baikal for amino acid specific stable isotope analysis to better understand the dietary consumption of freshwater resources.
In this first image I am using flash column chromatography as part of the sample preparation.
The first results of screening using the GC-FID (gas chromatography flame ionization detector) has been very positive and show that our sample preparation was successful in extracting amino acids from the bone collagen!
I was also fortunate that my time in Bristol overlapped with the yearly Bristol Balloon Fiesta! Attached is a picture from an early morning mass ascent as well as an image of the iconic Clifton suspension bridge.