Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-24hb2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T12:43:42.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Online 13C and 14C Gas Measurements by EA-IRMS–AMS at ETH Zürich

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 October 2016

Cameron P McIntyre*
Affiliation:
Biogeoscience, ETH Zürich, NO, Sonnegstrasse 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, HPK, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland Current address: SUERC AMS Laboratory, University of Glasgow, Rankine Av., G75 0QF, Glasgow, UK
Lukas Wacker
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, HPK, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
Negar Haghipour
Affiliation:
Biogeoscience, ETH Zürich, NO, Sonnegstrasse 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
Thomas M Blattmann
Affiliation:
Biogeoscience, ETH Zürich, NO, Sonnegstrasse 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
Simon Fahrni
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, HPK, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland Current address: Ionplus AG, Lerzenstrasse 12, 8953 Dietikon, Switzerland
Muhammed Usman
Affiliation:
Biogeoscience, ETH Zürich, NO, Sonnegstrasse 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
Timothy I Eglinton
Affiliation:
Biogeoscience, ETH Zürich, NO, Sonnegstrasse 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
Hans-Arno Synal
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, HPK, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
*
*Corresponding author. Email: cameron.mcintyre@glasgow.ac.uk.

Abstract

Studies using carbon isotopes to understand the global carbon cycle are critical to identify and quantify sources, sinks, and processes and how humans may impact them. 13C and 14C are routinely measured individually; however, there is a need to develop instrumentation that can perform concurrent online analyses that can generate rich data sets conveniently and efficiently. To satisfy these requirements, we coupled an elemental analyzer to a stable isotope mass spectrometer and an accelerator mass spectrometer system fitted with a gas ion source. We first tested the system with standard materials and then reanalyzed a sediment core from the Bay of Bengal that had been analyzed for 14C by conventional methods. The system was able to produce %C, 13C, and 14C data that were accurate and precise, and suitable for the purposes of our biogeochemistry group. The system was compact and convenient and is appropriate for use in a range of fields of research.

Type
Advances in Physical Measurement Techniques
Copyright
© 2016 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Selected Papers from the 2015 Radiocarbon Conference, Dakar, Senegal, 16–20 November 2015

References

REFERENCES

Braione, E, Maruccio, L, Quarta, G, D’Elia, M, Calcagnile, L. 2015. A new system for the simultaneous measurement of δ13C and δ15N by IRMS and radiocarbon by AMS on gaseous samples: design features and performances of the gas handling interface. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 361:387391.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C, Ditchfield, P, Humm, M. 2004. Using a gas ion source for radiocarbon AMS and GC-AMS. Radiocarbon 46(1):2532.Google Scholar
Collett, TS, Boswell, R, Cochran, JR, Kumar, P, Lall, M, Mazumdar, A, Ramana, MV, Ramprasad, T, Riedel, M, Sain, K, Sathe, AV, Vishwanath, K, Party, NES. 2014. Geologic implications of gas hydrates in the offshore of India: results of the National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01. Marine and Petroleum Geology 58:328.Google Scholar
Coplen, TB, Brand, WA, Gehre, M, Groning, M, Meijer, HAJ, Toman, B, Verkouteren, RM. 2006. New guidelines for δ13C measurements. Analytical Chemistry 78(7):24392441.Google Scholar
Donahue, DJ, Linick, TW, Jull, AJT. 1990. Isotope-ratio and background corrections for accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon measurements. Radiocarbon 32(2):135142.Google Scholar
Fahrni, SM, Wacker, L, Synal, H-A, Szidat, S. 2013. Improving a gas ion source for 14C AMS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 294:320327.Google Scholar
Gagnon, AR, McNichol, AP, Donoghue, JC, Stuart, DR, von Reden, K, NOSAMS. 2000. The NOSAMS sample preparation laboratory in the next millenium: progress after the WOCE program. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 172(1–4):409415.Google Scholar
Hedges, JI, Keil, RG, Benner, R. 1997. What happens to terrestrial organic matter in the ocean? Organic Geochemistry 27(5–6):195212.Google Scholar
Hong, W, Park, JH, Kim, KJ, Woo, HJ, Kim, JK, Choi, HW, Kim, GD. 2010. Establishment of chemical preparation methods and development of an automated reduction system for AMS sample preparation at KIGAM. Radiocarbon 52(3):12771287.Google Scholar
Kato, K, Tokanai, F, Anshita, M, Sakurai, H, Ohashi, MS. 2014. Automated sample combustion and CO2 collection system with IRMS for 14C AMS in Yamagata University, Japan. Radiocarbon 56(1):327331.Google Scholar
Komada, T, Anderson, MR, Dorfmeier, CL. 2008. Carbonate removal from coastal sediments for the determination of organic carbon and its isotopic signatures, δ13C and Δ14C: comparison of fumigation and direct acidification by hydrochloric acid. Limnology and Oceanography-Methods 6(6):254262.Google Scholar
Mann, PJ, Eglinton, TI, McIntyre, CP, Zimov, N, Davydova, A, Vonk, JE, Holmes, RM, Spencer, RGM. 2015. Utilization of ancient permafrost carbon in headwaters of Arctic fluvial networks. Nature Communications 6:7856.Google Scholar
Mann, WB. 1983. An international reference material for radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon 25(2):519527.Google Scholar
Megens, L, van der Plicht, J, de Leeuw, JW. 2001. Temporal variations in 13C and 14C concentrations in particulate organic matter from the southern North Sea. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 65(17):28992911.Google Scholar
Polissar, PJ, Fulton, JM, Junium, CK, Turich, CC, Freeman, KH. 2009. Measurement of 13C and 15N isotopic composition on nanomolar quantities of C and N. Analytical Chemistry 81(2):755763.Google Scholar
Ponton, C, Giosan, L, Eglinton, TI, Fuller, DQ, Johnson, JE, Kumar, P, Collett, TS. 2012. Holocene aridification of India. Geophysical Research Letters 39:L03704.Google Scholar
Prasad, GVR, Noakes, JE, Cherkinsky, A, Culp, R, Dvoracek, D. 2013. The new 250kV single stage AMS system at CAIS, University of Georgia: performance comparison with a 500kV compact tandem machine. Radiocarbon 55(2–3):319324.Google Scholar
Reddy, CM, Pearson, A, Xu, L, McNichol, AP, Benner, BA, Wise, SA, Klouda, GA, Currie, LA, Eglinton, TI. 2002. Radiocarbon as a tool to apportion the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon in environmental samples. Environmental Science & Technology 36(8):17741782.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Brown, TA, Reimer, RW. 2004. Discussion: reporting and calibration of post-bomb 14C data. Radiocarbon 46(3):12991304.Google Scholar
Ruff, M, Szidat, S, Gäggeler, HW, Suter, M, Synal, H-A, Wacker, L. 2010a. Gaseous radiocarbon measurements of small samples. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 268(7–8):790794.Google Scholar
Ruff, M, Fahrni, S, Gäggeler, HW, Hajdas, I, Suter, M, Synal, H-A, Szidat, S, Wacker, L. 2010b. On-line radiocarbon measurements of small samples using elemental analyzer and MICADAS gas ion source. Radiocarbon 52(4):16451656.Google Scholar
Salazar, G, Zhang, YL, Agrios, K, Szidat, S. 2015. Development of a method for fast and automatic radiocarbon measurement of aerosol samples by online coupling of an elemental analyzer with a MICADAS AMS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 361:163167.Google Scholar
Santos, GM, Moore, RB, Southon, JR, Griffin, S, Hinger, E, Zhang, D. 2007. AMS 14C sample preparation at the KCCAMS/UCI facility: status report and performance of small samples. Radiocarbon 49(2):255269.Google Scholar
Santos, GM, Southon, JR, Drenzek, NJ, Ziolkowski, LA, Druffel, E, Xu, XM, Zhang, DC, Trumbore, S, Eglinton, TI, Hughen, KA. 2010. Blank assessment for ultra-small radiocarbon samples: chemical extraction and separation versus AMS. Radiocarbon 52(3):13221335.Google Scholar
Schneider, RJ, McNichol, AP, Nadeau, M-J, von Reden, KF. 1995. Measurements of the oxalic acid II oxalic acid I ratio as a quality control parameter at NOSAMS. Radiocarbon 37(2):693696.Google Scholar
Shah, SR, Pearson, A. 2007. Ultra-microscale (5–25 μg C) analysis of individual lipids by 14C AMS: assessment and correction for sample processing blanks. Radiocarbon 49(1):6982.Google Scholar
Synal, H-A, Stocker, M, Suter, M. 2007. MICADAS: a new compact radiocarbon AMS system. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 259(1):713.Google Scholar
Tao, SQ, Eglinton, TI, Montlucon, DB, McIntyre, C, Zhao, MX. 2015. Pre-aged soil organic carbon as a major component of the Yellow River suspended load: regional significance and global relevance. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 414:7786.Google Scholar
Vogel, JS, Southon, JR, Nelson, DE, Brown, TA. 1984. Performance of catalytically condensed carbon for use in accelerator mass spectrometry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 5(2):289293.Google Scholar
Vonk, JE, Semiletov, IP, Dudarev, OV, Eglinton, TI, Andersson, A, Shakhova, N, Charkin, A, Heim, B, Gustafsson, O. 2014. Preferential burial of permafrost-derived organic carbon in Siberian-Arctic shelf waters. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans 119(12):84108421.Google Scholar
Wacker, L, Christl, M, Synal, H-A. 2010a. BATS: a new tool for AMS data reduction. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 268(7–8):976979.Google Scholar
Wacker, L, Bonani, G, Friedrich, M, Hajdas, I, Kromer, B, Nemec, M, Ruff, M, Suter, M, Synal, H-A, Vockenhuber, C. 2010b. MICADAS: routine and high-precision radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon 52(2):252262.Google Scholar
Wacker, L, Nemec, M, Bourquin, J. 2010c. A revolutionary graphitisation system: fully automated, compact and simple. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 268(7–8):931934.Google Scholar
Wacker, L, Fahrni, SM, Hajdas, I, Molnar, M, Synal, H-A, Szidat, S, Zhang, YL. 2013. A versatile gas interface for routine radiocarbon analysis with a gas ion source. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 294:315319.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

McIntyre supplementary material

Table S1 and Figure S1

Download McIntyre supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 528.3 KB