Brazilian research team uses stable isotope analysis to trace Amazon timber origins
Brazilian researchers are developing a timber traceability tool based on stable isotope analysis to help identify the origins of illegally logged wood in the Amazon region. Illegal logging is reported to be one of the major causes of deforestation in the Amazon. Local environmental and law enforcement agencies currently typically determine timber origins through plant anatomical characteristics, tree species distribution, and official records such as forest origin documents, but these methods are not always sufficient to prove that timber comes from legal areas. A research team at the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo (CENA-USP) is mapping the isotopic distribution of Amazon trees. The method analyzes the ratios of different isotopes of elements such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and strontium in wood cellulose to narrow down the potential harvesting areas of timber. Team leader Luiz Antonio Martinelli stated that stable isotopes are difficult to forge artificially, offering the potential to provide federal police with a more tamper-resistant technical tool.
2026-08-02
