News
04.05.2015
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The stable isotope laboratory (Isotopic ratio mass spectrometry technology) has a gas preconcentration module on line coupled to a GasBench II and a MAT 253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) Thermofisher. The precon module is a gas preconcentration interface that permits the isotopic analysis of dissolved CH4 and N2O traces. Among other applications currently done this technique is also used to analyse 15N and 18O in dissolved nitrate. The isotope ratios of 15N and 18O in nitrate offers a tool to investigate potential sources of nitrates and the reaction mechanisms involved. The increase of dissolved nitrogen due to anthropogenic factors can lead to lake, sediment and coastal water eutrophication and to the environmental acidification and degradation of drinking water. The method is based on the reduction of the nitrate (NO3-) to nitrite (NO2-) using Cd followed by the reduction of the nitrite to N2O (gas) with sodium azide buffered with acetic acid(Anal.Chem.2005.77,5589-5595). The N2O (gas) is analyzed in a continuous flow IRMS (CF-GB-PRECONC-MAT253). |
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Here we can see some pictures: 
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