The Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU) is an international-leading research group at the University of Bristol
The Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU) is an international research group that uses high-end analytical techniques such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry and compound specific light stable isotope mass spectrometry to investigate Earth systems at the molecular level. We are based within the School of Chemistry at the University of Bristol, one of the largest chemistry departments in the United Kingdom and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in both teaching and research.
14/11/2019
Ex-OGU PhD student Alice Charteris has published her PhD thesis via Springer. This thesis presents innovative research on soil nitrogen cycling and nitrate leaching with a view to improving soil management! Congratulations Alice! 🎉
Link here: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030310561
26/09/2019
OGU in BBC news
Prehistoric babies fed animal milk in bottles Prehistoric babies were bottle-fed with animal milk more than 3,000 years ago, according to new evidence.
02/09/2019
To mark the 50th anniversary of when the Apollo 11 lunar samples arrived in Bristol, we invite you to an evening of celebrations showcasing past & present research around space exploration. Speakers will be announced soon but tickets can be obtained NOW!
Stay tuned for more details!
Apollo 50 years on… The Apollo 11 mission landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, enabling the first man to walk on its surface the next day on the 21st of July.The mission returned to Earth a few days later, bringing back safely the astronauts and a precious load of lunar rocks. On 23rd October, some of these lunar sampl...
11/06/2019
Exciting new PhD studentship with Dr MĂ©lanie Roffet-Salque at Bristol to elucidate water metabolism in ruminants. Application deadline is the 1st of July!
More details here: https://tinyurl.com/yxz5szjh or email [email protected]!
25/06/2018
We are into the last week of registration for BOGS2018, not signed up yet? Do so here:
BOGS & OGU50 | School of Chemistry | University of Bristol BOGS 2018 will take place from Thursday 12th to Friday 13th July, 2018 and will be hosted by the Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU), School of Chemistry, University of Bristol. 2018 will mark the 30th anniversary of the first meeting of the British Organic Geochemistry Society at Bangor University so w...
06/06/2018
We've had to start filling up the other side!
06/06/2018
BOGS2018 conference meal will be at ZaZa Bazaar, should be enough choice for everybody!
Za Za Bazaar - World Banquet & Bar - Buffet Restaurant in Bristol Welcome to ZA ZA BAZAAR World Banquet & Bar, the fixed price buffet dining restaurant located at Bristol’s harbourside, with an amazing variety of global cuisine.
05/06/2018
Registration for BOGS 2018 is open for 1 month, it's going to be a good one, information and registration here:
BOGS & OGU50 | School of Chemistry | University of Bristol BOGS 2018 will take place from Thursday 12th to Friday 13th July, 2018 and will be hosted by the Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU), School of Chemistry, University of Bristol. 2018 will mark the 30th anniversary of the first meeting of the British Organic Geochemistry Society at Bangor University so w...
15/03/2018
Are you interested in the hydrological and biogeochemical consequences of warming? Then consider submitting to Goldschmidt Session 11f (co-convened by Gordon Inglis). Welcoming submissions from both the modern AND paleo community.
Goldschmidt will be held between the 12th and 17th of August, 2018 in Boston (USA) and the abstract deadline is March 30th (23.59 EST).
10/02/2018
New paper led by Gordon Inglis (feat. David Naafs, Richard Evershed, Rich Pancost) has been published online in GCA.
This paper investigates the distribution of bacterial-derived hopanoids in a global peat database (> 395 samples). The authors show that hopanoid stereochemistry is strongly influenced by the acidic environment and may be a useful proxy for assessing past changes in pH.
These findings also demonstrate the potential of geohopanoids to provide unique new insights into understanding depositional environments and interpreting terrestrial organic matter sources in the geological record.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016703718300036
Distributions of geohopanoids in peat: Implications for the use of hopanoid-based proxies in natural archives - ScienceDirect Geochimica et Cosmochimica ActaVolume 224, 1 March 2018, Pages 249-261Distributions of geohopanoids in peat: Implications for the use of hopanoid-based proxies in natural archivesAuthor links open overlay panelGordon N.InglisabB. David A.NaafsabYanhongZhengcErin L.McClymontdRichard P.EvershedabRicha...
05/10/2017
New paper led by former OGU-member Y. Zheng and featuring David Naafs and Rich Pancost demonstrating that atmospheric connections with the North Atlantic enhanced the deglacial warming in northeast China. This paper uses the recently developed peat-specific temperature calibration for brGDGTs and samples from the long-continuos Hani peat core from NE China.
Atmospheric connections with the North Atlantic enhanced the deglacial warming in northeast China | Geology | GeoScienceWorld Yanhong Zheng, Richard D. Pancost, Xiaodong Liu, Zhangzhang Wang, B.D.A. Naafs, Xiaoxun Xie, Zhao Liu, Xuefeng Yu, Huan Yang; Atmospheric connections with the North Atlantic enhanced the deglacial warming in northeast China. Geology doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G39401.1
19/06/2017
New paper in Analytical Chemistry led by OGU PhD student Emmanuelle Casanova and featuring Tim Knowles & Richard Evershed.
The paper is entitled: “Use of a 700 MHz NMR Microcryoprobe for the Identification and Quantification of Exogenous Carbon in Compounds Purified by Preparative Capillary Gas Chromatography for Radiocarbon Determinations"
In order to assess the chemical nature of contamination in compound-specific radiocarbon analysis, this study uses NMR to identify and quantify column bleed. The paper concludes that column bleed would lead to a maximum shift in radiocarbon age of < 3 years toward older values. As such, column bleed contamination has a negligible effect on the 14C determination of fatty acid methyl esters prepared using the chromatographic method described.
More details: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.7b00987
Use of a 700 MHz NMR Microcryoprobe for the Identification and Quantification of Exogenous Carbon in Compounds Purified by Preparative Capillary Gas Chromatography for Radiocarbon Determinations - Analytical Chemistry (ACS Publications) Use of a 700 MHz NMR Microcryoprobe for the Identification and Quantification of Exogenous Carbon in Compounds Purified by Preparative Capillary Gas Chromatography for Radiocarbon Determinations