The targets were extremophiles: consortia of methane-oxidizing archaea and sulphate-reducing bacteria that live around methane seeps in the deep ocean. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology wanted to understand what intermediate was passing between them.
Getting a clear picture of the creatures’ anabolic activity patterns, as they reduced methane release into the environment, could have significant implications for global climate studies.
Fortunately, the Caltech researchers had one of the planet’s most advanced imaging instruments: the CAMECA NanoSIMS 50L high-performance ion microprobe / secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Its high spatial resolution (down to 50 nm) and high sensitivity (ppm in element imaging) have made it a critical tool for researchers from environmental microbiology to cell biology, and from geology and space science to materials research.
Using the NanoSIMS 50L’s ultra-high-precision isotopic and trace element analysis, the Caltech team — directed by leading environmental biologist Dr. Victoria Orphan — was able to map cellular activity, then apply spatial statistical techniques to reveal underlying patterns.
Read this brief report to discover the surprising results. And consider how the NanoSIMS 50L could resolve some deep mysteries in your research.