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Open tube combustion method of organic samples for stable carbon isotope analysis
Author(s) -
Velivetskaya Tatiana A.,
Ignatyev Alexander V.,
Reize Marina V.,
Kiyashko Serguei I.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.3112
Subject(s) - chemistry , combustion , quartz , carbon fibers , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , organic chemistry , paleontology , materials science , composite number , composite material , biology
A simple and effective method for the conversion of organic carbon into carbon dioxide for analysis of stable carbon isotopes (δ 13 C) in samples of various organic substances, soils, sedimentary rocks, oils and volatile organic liquids is presented. The conversion of organic carbon of the samples is carried out in a quartz reactor connected to a vacuum line for CO 2 freezing and purification. A solid organic sample mixed with CuO is placed at the reactor bottom and the reactor is subsequently filled with granular CuO. One end of the CuO column is preheated to 850°C while the other end of the column in contact with the sample is kept at ambient temperature. Heating of the sample (850°C) and the remainder of the column is then performed. The preheated part of the column provides efficient conversion of carbon into CO 2 . The reactor for the conversion of volatile liquid organic compounds is filled with granular CuO. The column of CuO is heated to 850°C. Samples of volatile liquids are introduced into the reactor through a septum using a microsyringe. Complete conversion takes 10 min for solid samples and 3 min for volatile liquids. The precision of the δ 13 C analysis for solid and volatile liquid organic substances is ±0.1‰ and ±0.04‰, respectively. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.