Method and device for determination of isotope ratios of light elements in one analytical run

摘要

The isotope ratios are determined by elementary analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The gaseous hydrogen is transported or supplied to isotope equilibration to measure the isotope ratio. The nitrogen combustion gas and the water vapor are separated through an element specific thermally controlled adsorption columns for large sample quantities above 10 mg, a reduction furnace or an equilibration device. The reduction furnace has a reduction pipe (20) filled with electron negative magnesium granulates. The samples of C, N, S and H have a weight of 10 mg. A container is used between the water vapor and the hydrogen gas for the Pt catalyzed isotope equilibration in 100[deg]C and the equilibration includes separation of the water by a marble tube. The combustion products are subjected at the outlet of the reduction tube of a drying process for protecting contamination with external moisture. The drying process is carried out in phosphorus pentaoxide filled drying pipe. The water quantity is determined by pressure measurement or heat conductivity detector (30). The interface between the elementary analysis and the mass spectrometry is developed based on the continuous flow principle. An independent claim is included for device for the simultaneous determination of the isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and hydrogen.