Laborinfrastruktur

Our core competence is the investigation of biogeochemical processes in the environment by monitoring natural isotope ratios and isotope labels of the bioelements C, H, N, O and S. The isotope methods we use allow us to describe and quantify material flows in ecosystems. This is done in a technical depth that is not achieved by conventional methods.

The working group for stable isotopes (Iso-Group) currently has four mass spectrometers with different peripheries for the determination of isotope ratios for the elements C, H, N, O, Cl and S. The samples are measured against a reference standard and the results are given in promill. A distinction can be made between total and component-specific analysis.

EA-IRMS (Delta V Advantage):

  • Elemental analyzer (Thermo Scientific Flash 2000) for sample conversion (gaseous)
  • Gas chromatography column (GC) for the separation of individual components
  • Continuous flow gas interface (Thermo Scientific ConFlo IV) for flow adjustment and reference gas introduction
  • Mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific Delta V Advantage) for determination of 13C/12C and 15N/14N isotope ratios for (solid) samples

The measurement accuracy is less than ± 0.2 ‰ for C and ± 0.3 ‰ for N.

TC/EA-IRMS (Delta PLUS XP):

  • Thermal Combustion Elemental Analyzer (Thermo Finnigan TC/EA, Thermo Quest Flash 1112) for sample conversion (gaseous)
  • Gas chromatography column (GC) for the separation of individual components
  • Continous flow gas interface (Thermo Finnigan ConFlo III) to adjust the flow and to introduce the reference gas
  • Mass spectrometer (Thermo Finnigan Delta PLUS XP) for the determination of isotope ratios 18O/16O, D/H (2H/1H) and 34S/32S for (solid) sample.

The measuring accuracy is less than ± 3 ‰ for H and ± 0,40 ‰ for O.

Continuous flow und Dual inlet-IRMS (MAT253 Plus):

Autosampler-GC-

  • Autosampler for liquid injection and Purge & Trap autosampling (Thermo Scientific TriPlus RSH and IMT VSP 4000 Purge & Trap) for sample introduction and preconcentration of analytes
  • Gas chromatography (Thermo Scientific Trace 1310) for separation and focussing of analytes
  • Oxidation reactor (Thermo Scientific GC Isolink II) for analyte conversion to the IRMS measrement gas CO2

Gasbench/PreCon-

  • Autosampler (CTC PAL) and Thermo Scientific Gasbench II for sample introduction, preconcentration, focussing and separation of CO2 and N2O
  • Autosampler (CTC PAL) and Thermo Scientific PreCon for sample introduction, preconcentration and separation of N2O and CH4

IRMS

  • Thermo Scientific Conflo IV for transferring the CO2 obtained from combusted gaseous analystes and IRMS reference gases to the isotope ratio mass spectrometer (continuous flow)
  • Dual inlet for separate measurement of samples versus reference gas (CO2)
  • Isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific MAT253 Plus) for determining the isotope ratios of CO2 and N2O and the clumped CO2 isotope ratios (m/z 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 47.5)

GC-IRMS (Delta V Advantage):

This device arrangement can be modified according to requirements.

Autosampler (IMT VSP 4000 Purge & Trap or CTC CombiPAL)

  • Gas chromatograph (thermo scientific trace GC ultra) for separation and focusing
  • Sample detection by quadrupole mass spectrometer (q-MS; Thermo Scientific ISQ) and/or sample conversion by oxidation or reduction reactor (Thermo Scientific GC Isolink)
  • Continuous flow gas management system (Thermo Scientific ConFlo IV) for the transfer of gaseous samples and reference gases to the IR mass spectrometer
  • Mass spectrometer (IRMS Thermo Scientific Delta V Advantage) for determination of isotope ratios 13C/12C, 37Cl/35Cl, 18O/16O.

The measuring accuracy is less than ± 0.5 ‰ for C, ± 5 ‰ for H and ± 0.8 ‰ for O.