Hello everybody, I plan to measure the dN of nitrate in seawater, here at 
the university we have a GAS BENCH (FINNIGAN) connected to the mass 
spectrometer (DELTA XP). I would like to know if there is some way to avoid 
the use of the device called PRECON (is it this?), that is, if it is 
possible to measure the dN of nitrate in seawater by a procedure similar to 
the "denitrifier method" of Sigman et al (2001, Anal Chem 73 4145-4153). 
There is a recent paper (GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 32, L13501, doi:
10.1029/2005GL023011, 2005) in which there is no mention to the use of that 
device. In short: is it possible to measure the N2O produced by the bacteria 
without the PRECON, but using the GAS BENCH instead?

Thanks,

Matheus
PhD student
Kitasato University
School of Fishery Sciences
Japan