Increasing the sensitivity of delta13C and delta15N abundance measurements by a high sensitivity elemental analyzer connected to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer.

Hansen, Thomas and Sommer, Ulrich (2007) Increasing the sensitivity of delta13C and delta15N abundance measurements by a high sensitivity elemental analyzer connected to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 21 (3). pp. 314-318. DOI 10.1002/rcm.2847.

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Abstract

A common elemental analyzer system connected to a temperature-controlled gas chromatography (GC) column and coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer was improved to decrease the determination limit for a simultaneous stable isotope ratio measurement of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The additional use of a special ashtray system to collect the combustion residuals permitted more time-efficient work. These modifications to the elemental analyzer allowed precise measurements to be made down to 1.5 µg nitrogen and 10 µg carbon for stable isotope analysis. Low system background values and an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio have made an additional blank correction for these low sample measurements unnecessary. We provide a precision of this stable isotope analysis for lowest amounts of 1.2–2 µg nitrogen with a standard deviation of ±0.496‰ (n = 27) and for 8.2–15 µg carbon with a standard deviation of ±0.257‰ (n = 31) across different sample runs under stipulated conditions. This application can be established in an automatic mode without cryofocusing procedures.

Document Type: Article
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB3 Marine Ecology > FB3-EOE-N Experimental Ecology - Food Webs
OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Wiley
Projects: Future Ocean
Date Deposited: 24 Apr 2009 10:33
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2019 14:48
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/8407

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