Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Testing the use of septum-capped vials for 13C-isotope abundance analysis of carbon dioxide
AU - Hardie, S. M.L.
AU - Garnett, M. H.
AU - Fallick, A. E.
AU - Stott, A. W.
AU - Rowland, A. P.
AU - Ostle, N. J.
PY - 2010/6/30
Y1 - 2010/6/30
N2 - Studying ecosystem processes in the context of carbon cycling and climate change has never been more important. Stable carbon isotope studies of gas exchange within terrestrial ecosystems are commonly undertaken to determine sources and rates of carbon cycling. To this end, septum-capped vials ('Exetainers') are often used to store samples of CO2 prior to mass spectrometric analysis. To evaluate the performance of such vials for preserving the isotopic integrity (δ13C) and concentration of stored CO2 we performed a rigorous suite of tests. Septum-capped vials were filled with standard gases of varying CO2 concentrations (~700 to 4000 ppm), δ13C values (approx. -26.5 to + 1.8‰V-PDB) and pressures (33 and 67% above ambient), and analysed after a storage period of between 7 and 28 days. The vials performed well, with the vast majority of both isotope and CO2 concentration results falling within the analytical uncertainty of chamber standard gas values. Although the study supports the use of septum-capped vials for storing samples prior to mass spectrometric analysis, it does highlight the need to ensure that sampling chamber construction is robust (air-tight).
AB - Studying ecosystem processes in the context of carbon cycling and climate change has never been more important. Stable carbon isotope studies of gas exchange within terrestrial ecosystems are commonly undertaken to determine sources and rates of carbon cycling. To this end, septum-capped vials ('Exetainers') are often used to store samples of CO2 prior to mass spectrometric analysis. To evaluate the performance of such vials for preserving the isotopic integrity (δ13C) and concentration of stored CO2 we performed a rigorous suite of tests. Septum-capped vials were filled with standard gases of varying CO2 concentrations (~700 to 4000 ppm), δ13C values (approx. -26.5 to + 1.8‰V-PDB) and pressures (33 and 67% above ambient), and analysed after a storage period of between 7 and 28 days. The vials performed well, with the vast majority of both isotope and CO2 concentration results falling within the analytical uncertainty of chamber standard gas values. Although the study supports the use of septum-capped vials for storing samples prior to mass spectrometric analysis, it does highlight the need to ensure that sampling chamber construction is robust (air-tight).
U2 - 10.1002/rcm.4575
DO - 10.1002/rcm.4575
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:77953196983
VL - 24
SP - 1805
EP - 1809
JO - Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
JF - Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
SN - 0951-4198
IS - 12
ER -