Precise and traceable 13C/12C isotope amount ratios by multicollector ICPMS

A new method for the measurement of SI traceable carbon isotope amount ratios using a multicollector inductively coupled mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) is reported for the first time. Carbon C-13/C-12 isotope amount ratios have been measured for four reference materials with carbon isotope amount ratios ranging from 0.010 659 (delta C-13(VPDB) = -46.6 parts per thousand) to 0.011 601 (delta C-13(VPDB) = +37 parts per thousand). Internal normalization by measuring boron B-11/B-10 isotope amount ratios has been used to correct for the effects of instrumental mass bias. Absolute C-13/C-12 ratios have been measured and corrected for instrumental mass bias and full uncertainty budgets have been calculated using the Kragten approach. Corrected C-13/C-12 ratios for NIST RM8545 (Lithium Carbonate LSVEC), NIST RM8573 (L-Glutamic Acid USGS40), NIST RM8542 (LAEA-CH6 Sucrose) and NIST RM8574 (L-Glutamic Acid USGS41) differed from reference values by 0.06-0.20%. Excellent linear correlation (R = 0.9997) was obtained between corrected carbon isotope amount ratios and expected carbon isotope amount ratios of the four chosen NIST RMs. The method has proved to be linear within this range (from C-13/C-12 = 0.010 659 to C-13/C-12=0.011 601), and therefore, it is suitable for the measurement of carbon isotope amount ratios within the natural range of variation of organic carbon compounds, carbonates, elemental carbon, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. In addition, a CO2 gas sample previously characterized in-house by conventional dual inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometry has been analyzed and excellent agreement has been found between the carbon isotope amount ratio value measured by MC-ICPMS and the IRMS measurements. Absolute values for carbon isotope amount ratios traceable to the SI are given for each NIST RM, and the combined uncertainty budget (including instrumental error and each parameter contributing to Russell expression for mass bias correction) has been found to be < 0.1% for the four materials. The advantage of the method versus conventional gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometry measurements is that carbon isotope amount ratios are measured as C+ instead of CO2+, and therefore, an oxygen O-17 correction due to the presence of (COO+)-C-12-O-17-O-16 is not required. Organic compounds in solution can be measured without previous derivatization, combustion steps, or both, thus making the process simple. The novel methodology opens new avenues for the measurement of absolute carbon isotope amount ratios in a wide range of samples.