In stable isotopes
The plants enriched in stable isotopes such as carbon 13 or nitrogen 15 are valuable tools for research in nutrition, forestry ecology, metabolomes (by improving the RMN detection limit), carbon fluxes (DNA-SIP), toxicology (mycotoxins)....The 13C enrichment is realised using the photosynthesis (by supplying 13C02): the enrichment level can reach more than 90%. The 15N is supplied through the nutrizent solution. The fine control of environment parameters ensures identical and reproducible culture conditions for the different plants (from Aerabidopsis to trees)
In radioactive isotopes
A laboratory located in a controlled area is equipped for culture with radio-isotopes (2 phytotrons for plant culture in controlled conditions, INFORS incubators for bacteria or microalgae culture). This laboratory is also equipped with counters (β, γ) and variuos apparatus to analyze samples at the molecular and cellular levels. 65Zn, 109Cd, 14C, 33P, 137Cs ....are currently used. the access to this area is controlled.