Laboratory

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Description

The analysis of stable isotopes is normally concerned with measuring isotopic variations in carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen arising from mass-dependent isotopic fractionation in natural systems. Stable isotope analysis is used to determine sources of the elements present in samples, or the processes they have experienced.

In the LAIE facility we have four spectrometers for isotopic analysis, coupled with different peripherals to cover a wide variety of analytes and matrices:

Instruments

Carbonate and gas isotopes

The carbonate and gas isotopes system includes a Thermo MAT253 mass spectrometer coupled to: a) a Thermo Kiel IV device for high precision carbonate analysis, b) a Thermo GasBench system for the analysis of CO2 in gas phase samples, dissolved in water or in carbonates not requiring the precision of the Kiel, and c) a Thermo GC-Combustion/HTC system for the compound specific carbon or hydrogen isotope analysis.

GC-MS/IRMS

The GC-MS/IRMS system contains a Thermo Delta V Plus mass spectrometer coupled to a) a Thermo GC-Combustion/HTC GC-Isolink system for the compound specific carbon, nitrogen or hydrogen isotope analysis and b) a Thermo ISQ7000 quadrupole MS for the identification and quantification of samples, independently or simultaneously with the isotopic analysis. The sample introduction in the GC can be performed in four different modes: liquid sample, headspace, static SPME and dynamic SPME, using a RSH Triplus robot autosampler.

EA-IRMS

The EA-IRMS is based on a Thermo Delta V Advantage mass spectrometer coupled to a) a Thermo Flash Elemental Analyzer EA-Isolink system for the bulk analysis of carbon and nitrogen and b) a Thermo GC-Combustion/HTC GC-Isolink system for the compound specific carbon or hydrogen isotope analysis.

LC-IRMS

The LC-IRMS system includes a Thermo Delta V Advantage mass spectrometer coupled to a) a Thermo Ultimate 3000 –LC-Isolink system for the compound specific carbon isotope analysis in compounds suitable for HPLC separation and b) a Thermo Flash Elemental Analyzer EA-Conflo II system for the bulk analysis of carbon and nitrogen.