Accuracy Of Isotopic Measurements Research Articles

Integrating the controlled evaporation mixer with cavity ring-down spectroscopy for enhanced water vapor isotope calibration

Accurate measurement of water vapor isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) is fundamental for advancing our understanding of the hydrological cycle and improving hydrological model accuracy. This study introduces an innovative calibration methodology using a controlled evaporation mixer (CEM) for determining stable isotopic ratios in atmospheric water vapor via cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The CEM technique reliably produces a stable water vapor stream, crucial for enhancing the precision and accuracy of isotopic measurements. Its rapid adaptation to changes in water vapor concentration and compatibility with different water standards enhance calibration reliability. Demonstrated reproducibility in generating water vapor across a broad concentration range from 900 to over 25,000 ppmv, coupled with a substantial reduction in memory effects, makes this approach highly effective in both laboratory and field settings. This calibration advancement greatly enhances research capabilities for continuous atmospheric water vapor analysis, providing deeper insights into hydrological processes and atmospheric dynamics.

Heart-cutting two-dimensional gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis of monoaromatic hydrocarbons in complex groundwater and gas-phase samples

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) is increasingly used to evaluate the origin and fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment. However, as samples often contain a complex mixture of compounds and the method requires a full chromatographic separation, it can be challenging to obtain accurate and precise isotope values. In this study, in order to develop a method to analyze carbon isotopes in benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in complex environmental samples, a two-dimensional heart-cutting gas chromatograph (GC) was hyphenated to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). The focus was placed on benzene and toluene, which are the main compounds of concern in contaminated sites. A full separation for BTEX was successfully achieved using a 60m polar column in the first dimension and a 30m non-polar column in the second dimension. Accuracy and precision of carbon isotope measurements of standards were not impacted by the new setup compared to classic one-dimensional (1D) GC-C–IRMS. For benzene and toluene, precision remained very good (≤0.2‰) for concentrations comprised between 5 and 20μg/L. A high matrix load did not influence the precision and accuracy of isotope measurements. The method was tested on several samples from two different field sites. For all samples tested, full chromatographic baseline resolution was achieved for benzene and toluene. Spatial variability of isotopes values linked to biodegradation was evidenced for one field site. This new 2D-GC-C–IRMS method will broaden the spectrum of samples suitable for isotope analysis and will be therefore able to give new insights into attenuation processes of BTEX in contaminated sites or source fingerprinting.

Nuclear applications of inorganic mass spectrometry

There are several basic characteristics of mass spectrometry that are not always fully appreciated by the science community. These characteristics include the distinction between relative and absolute isotope abundances, and the influence of isotope fractionation on the accuracy of isotopic measurements. These characteristics can be illustrated in the field of nuclear physics with reference to the measurement of nuclear parameters, which involve the use of enriched isotopes, and to test models of s-, r-, and p-process nucleosynthesis. The power of isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) to measure trace elements in primitive meteorites to produce accurate Solar System abundances has been essential to the development of nuclear astrophysics. The variety of mass spectrometric instrumentation used to measure the isotopic composition of elements has sometimes been accompanied by a lack of implementation of basic mass spectrometric protocols which are applicable to all instruments. These metrological protocols are especially important in atomic weight determinations, but must also be carefully observed in cases where the anomalies might be very small, such as in studies of the daughter products of extinct radionuclides to decipher events in the early history of the Solar System. There are occasions in which misleading conclusions have been drawn from isotopic data derived from mass spectrometers where such protocols have been ignored. It is important to choose the mass spectrometer instrument most appropriate to the proposed experiment. The importance of the integrative nature of mass spectrometric measurements has been demonstrated by experiments in which long, double beta decay and geochronological decay half-lives have been measured as an alternative to costly radioactive-counting experiments. This characteristic is also illustrated in the measurement of spontaneous fission yields, which have accumulated over long periods of time. Mass spectrometry is also a valuable tool in the determination of neutron capture cross-section measurements and the application of such determinations in Planetary Science.