Sean Sylva is an expert in the analyses of organic compounds both natural and anthropogenic in origin and founder of Woods Hole Isotopes. His specialty is stable carbon and hydrogen isotope analysis for compounds ranging from C1 to C40. He received a B.S. in geology and geological oceanography from the University of Rhode Island where he trained with Professor James Quinn, a world-class organic geochemist.
Mr. Sylva is particularly interested in the field of continuous flow isotope analysis and has been intimately involved with the development of numerous continuous-flow isotope applications including stable hydrogen analysis, accelerator mass spectrometry of natural abundance 14C, stable bromine of organic compounds, and the moving-wire-interface for liquid samples. He has also been involved in numerous high-profile efforts including the analysis of the 2001 Anthrax attacks, pharmaceutical patent infringement, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Trained by Drs. John Hayes and Alex Sessions at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution where he continues his 19 year tenure and is currently a Research Associate III. Mr. Sylva is the author or co-author of 35 manuscripts with several receiving awards and covers to major research journals. He has a strong belief that understanding Earth processes demands an appreciation of fieldwork and has been on over 20 oceanographic cruises in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico.
Based in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the home of several premier research institutions, Woods Hole Isotopes provides a wide range of analytical services. These include, compound-specific hydrogen and carbon isotope analysis on methane and natural gases to more complex mixtures of alkanes, fatty acids, and long-chain ketones. Woods Hole Isotopes also offers light-hydrocarbon analysis by gas chromatography, analysis of major cations, anions and organic acids by ion chromatography, and carbon isotope analysis of total inorganic carbon (TIC) and total organic carbon (TOC) by high temperature conversion. Additional analytical services are available, please inquire.