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An interlaboratory study to test instrument performance of hydrogen dual-inlet isotope-ratio mass spectrometers

January 1, 2001

An interlaboratory comparison of forty isotope-ratio mass spectrometers of different ages from several vendors has been performed to test 2H/1H performance with hydrogen gases of three different isotopic compositions. The isotope-ratio results (unsufficiently corrected for H3 + contribution to the m/z = 3 collector, uncorrected for valve leakage in the change-over valves, etc.) expressed relative to one of these three gases covered a wide range of values: –630‰ to –790‰ for the second gas and –368‰ to –462‰ for the third gas. After normalizing the isotopic abundances of these test gases (linearly adjusting the δ values so that the gases with the lowest and highest 2H content were identical for all laboratories), the standard deviation of the 40 measurements of the intermediate gas was a remarkably low 0.85‰. It is concluded that the use of scaling factors is mandatory for providing accurate internationally comparable isotope-abundance values. Linear scaling for the isotope-ratio scales of gaseous hydrogen mass spectrometers is completely adequate.

Publication Year 2001
Title An interlaboratory study to test instrument performance of hydrogen dual-inlet isotope-ratio mass spectrometers
DOI 10.1007/s002160100814
Authors Willi A. Brand, T. B. Coplen
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Fresenius' Journal of Analytical Chemistry
Index ID 70023310
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse