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A Reflection on Mg, Cd, Ca, Li and Si Isotopic Measurements and Related Reference Materials
Author(s) -
Carignan Jean,
Cardinal Damien,
Eisenhauer Anton,
Galy Albert,
Rehkamper Mark,
Wombacher Frank,
Vigier Nathalie
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geostandards and geoanalytical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.037
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1751-908X
pISSN - 1639-4488
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-908x.2004.tb01050.x
Subject(s) - isotope , nist , mineralogy , silicate , mass spectrometry , stable isotope ratio , chemistry , homogeneity (statistics) , elemental analysis , analytical chemistry (journal) , isotope analysis , cadmium , environmental chemistry , geology , inorganic chemistry , physics , computer science , chromatography , mathematics , oceanography , statistics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , natural language processing
This contribution aims to report the reflections we had with the scientific community during two international workshops on reference materials for stable isotopes in Davos (2002) and Nice (2003). After evaluating the isotopic homogeneity of some existing reference materials, based on either certificates, literature data or specific inter‐laboratory rounds, we confirm these as primary reference materials or propose new ones relative to which stable isotope compositions should be reported. We propose DSM‐3 for Mg, NIST SRM 915a for Ca, L‐SVEC for Li and NBS28 for Si. Cadmium does not yet have a well identified delta zero material, although three commercial mono‐elemental Cd solutions have yielded the same isotopic composition relative to one another. In order to scale the linearity of any mass spectrometer, some secondary reference materials are also proposed: Cambridge‐1 solution for Mg, the “Münster‐Cd” and JEPPIM Cd solutions for Cd and the “Big Batch” silicate for Si. The team from Nancy propose to prepare a mixed spike solution for Li isotopes. Well‐characterised natural samples such as ocean or continental waters, diatoms, sponges, rocks and minerals are needed to validate the entire analytical procedure, particularly to take into account the effect of sample mineralisation and of chemical manipulations for elemental separation prior to analysis.