Dear all,

I like to hear from you about interest on the topic of isotopic speciation
in relation to isotopic analysis. Below are given some definitions on
'speciation'.
Isotopic speciation in analysis is, what I think, a very much neglected
subject, where only few studies bother about 'homogeneity/heterogeneity'
(basically a speciation problem) considering the sample-size used for
analysis.
I like to give it more attention and propose to have a session on this
subject for the next EGU meeting in 2008. A tentative session-title may be:
'Isotopic distribution in samples (speciation) in isotopic analysis'
(isotope includes here stable and radiogenic isotopes).

Please, I like to get your reactions on my proposal. Any comment,
suggestion, or proposal is very welcome.

I look forward for some discussion here....

Best wishes,
Pier.

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For those less introduced in this subject [from: EVISA web-site:
http://www.speciation.net/Public/Document/2003/09/11/495.html;
EVISA = European Virtual Institute of Speciation Analysis]:
Speciation as a discipline in Analytical Chemistry ­ Definitions

The International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has published
guidelines or recommendations for the definition of speciation analysis:
Speciation analysis is the analytical activity of identifying and/or
measuring the quantities of one or more individual chemical species in a
sample.

The chemical species are specific forms of an element defined as to isotopic
composition, electronic or oxidation state, and/or complex or molecular
structure.

The speciation of an element is the distribution of an element amongst
defined chemical species in a system.

In case that it is not possible to determine the concentration of the
different individual chemical species that sum up the total concentration of
an element in a given matrix, that means it is impossible to determine the
speciation, it is a usefull practice to do fractionation instead.

Fractionation is the process of classification of an analyte or a group of
analytes from a certain sample according to physical (e.g. size, solubility)
or chemical (e.g. bonding, reactivity) properties.

Further reading:
D.M. Templeton, F. Ariese, R. Cornelis, L.-G. Danielsson, H. Muntau, H.P.
van Leeuwen, R. Lobinski, IUPAC Guidelines for Terms Related to Speciation
of Trace Elements, Pure Appl. Chem., 72/8 (2000) 1453-1470.

**********
Dr. Pier A. de Groot
Address for the period April 1, 2007 ­ July 31, 2007:
Silesian University of Technology
GADAM Centre of Excellence
Institute of Physics ­ Department of Radioisotopes
Krzywoustego 2, 44 100 Gliwice, Poland
Email: [log in to unmask]

Permanent address:
Delta Isotopes Consultancy
Pastoor Moorkensstraat 16
2400 Mol - Achterbos
Belgium
Tel. +32 (0)14 326 205
e-mail: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]

Associate editor for stable isotopes of eEarth on-line magazine
http://www.electronic-earth.net

Head of Isotopes in Geosciences of the European Geoscience Union (EGU).
EGU Home web-site: http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/EGU.html

Organization Committee member of BASIS (Benelux Association of Stable
Isotope Scientists).
http://www.basis-online.eu/

Visit my WEB-site about my ³Handbook of Stable Isotope Analytical
Techniques², with a link to the Elsevier web site on the handbook (marked:
ŒOrder Now¹):
http://users.pandora.be/handbook/index.html
last update: August 15, 2005
Volume I is now available. Volume II is expected to be available in 2007.

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