Abstract: Zinc is widely used in metallurgy, agriculture and energy, which make lots of zinc enter into the environment. The emergence of multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has gradually allowed for the application of zinc isotope in tracing the sources of pollution. Referring to the previous studies of zinc isotopes, this paper discusses the progress in aspects of the purification and enrichment method, the instrument mass fractionation correction method, composition of zinc isotope in natural substances and isotopic fractionation mechanism. The applications of zinc isotope as a probe in contaminated soil, sediment, water, and atmosphere are also discussed. Zinc is necessary to life. The isotopic fractionation of zinc isotope can occur during the process of biological absorption, mineral adsorption, evaporation, condensation, and so on. More information about the variation of zinc isotope composition in different reservoirs is needed and the related mechanism of isotopic fractionation should be further studied, which can contribute to the widespread use of zinc isotope in the field of environmental science.

Key words: acid phosphomonoesterase, microbial biomass phosphorus, soil phosphorus, phosphodiesterase