Abstract
The isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) is an instrument that measures both of the elemental contents and isotope ratios of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in environmental samples at the same time. In this study, we want to try to get two main goals; first, to make up for setting the analytical conditions such as accuracy and precision, second, to apply for comparing of the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio of sediments in the abandoned mine located in middle province of Korea. For the first goal, a recently introduced IRMS was used to analyze CRM (certified reference materials), which helped to make up the analytical conditions of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. So, the accuracy and precision of isotope ratios and elemental contents were also assessed simultaneously, and also the results were very satisfactory. The analytical results of carbon reference materials (EMA-P2) showed an accuracy of -2.801 × 10‰ ± 0.01‰ (2σ) and a precision of 0.009‰ in the mass range from 0.008 μg - 0.162 μg. For nitrogen reference materials (EMA-P2), an accuracy of -1.632‰ ± 0.72‰ (2σ) was obtained in the mass range from 0.082 - 0.162 mg. These values of accuracy and precision are higher than those reported by other studies. For the second goal, carbon and nitrogen isotopes in river sediment near abandoned mines were analyzed based on the established analytical conditions. The result suggested that carbon isotope ratios ranged from -22.5‰ - -7.5‰ and nitrogen isotope ratios from -1.9‰ - 7.9‰. By comparing the isotope ratios and sampling sites of sediment, we know that the nitrogen isotope values in samples of entrance area of mine are greater than those of the farm house area, which is indicating the effects of organic materials. So, we could guess that the newly accumulated organic materials were much more in the farm house area than mine entrance area. And a result of this study, the accuracy and precision tests of IRMS using certified reference materials were very satisfactory and optimum analytical conditions were established well. And also, it was found that the applications of isotopic analysis for environmental samples by using the IRMS could be very useful for the studies on tracing pollution sources.
Highlights
A few decades ago, mass spectrometry was considered as a very difficult and expensive study area because its complex and highly expensive instrument were maintained and operated by a few dedicated technicians and its output understood by only a few academics
The isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) is an instrument that measures both of the elemental contents and isotope ratios of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in environmental samples at the same time
Based on the accuracy and precision assessment results of certified reference materials, the established isotopic analysis conditions were pilot-applied to sediments and soils sampled from areas near an abandoned mine
Summary
A few decades ago, mass spectrometry was considered as a very difficult and expensive study area because its complex and highly expensive instrument were maintained and operated by a few dedicated technicians and its output understood by only a few academics. IRMS is a specialization of mass spectrometry, in which mass spectrometric methods are used to measure the relative abundance of isotopes in a given sample [1] [2]. This technique has two different applications in the earth and environmental sciences. Most instruments used for precise determination of isotope ratios are of the magnetic sector type This type of analyzer is superior to the quadrupole type in this field of research for two reasons. It can be set up for multiple-collector analysis, and second, it gives high-quality peak shapes. The analysis process of IRMS can be divided into four steps: combustion or thermal diversion of the sample material using the elemental analyser, introduction of evolved gases into the ion source of mass spectrometer via the interface, ionization of the gas molecules followed by separation and detection of the ions in the mass spectrometer and evaluation of the raw data
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