Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1080/10256016.2016.1215983
Title (Primary) Evaluation of the performance of high temperature conversion reactors for compound-specific oxygen stable isotope analysis
Author Hitzfeld, K.L.; Gehre, M.; Richnow, H.-H.
Source Titel Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
Year 2017
Department ISOBIO
Volume 53
Issue 2
Page From 116
Page To 133
Language englisch
Keywords Carbon monoxide; compound-specific isotope analysis; high temperature conversion; GC-HTC-IRMS; isotope measurement; isotope ratio; oxygen-18
UFZ wide themes RU3;
Abstract In this study conversion conditions for oxygen gas chromatography high temperature conversion (HTC) isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) are characterised using qualitative mass spectrometry (IonTrap). It is shown that physical and chemical properties of a given reactor design impact HTC and thus the ability to accurately measure oxygen isotope ratios. Commercially available and custom-built tube-in-tube reactors were used to elucidate (i) by-product formation (carbon dioxide, water, small organic molecules), (ii) 2nd sources of oxygen (leakage, metal oxides, ceramic material), and (iii) required reactor conditions (conditioning, reduction, stability). The suitability of the available HTC approach for compound-specific isotope analysis of oxygen in volatile organic molecules like methyl tert-butyl ether is assessed. Main problems impeding accurate analysis are non-quantitative HTC and significant carbon dioxide by-product formation. An evaluation strategy combining mass spectrometric analysis of HTC products and IRMS 18O/16O monitoring for future method development is proposed.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=18485
Hitzfeld, K.L., Gehre, M., Richnow, H.-H. (2017):
Evaluation of the performance of high temperature conversion reactors for compound-specific oxygen stable isotope analysis
Isot. Environ. Health Stud. 53 (2), 116 - 133 10.1080/10256016.2016.1215983