Dave Mattey wrote:

>Elemental analysers can be configured for O determination in organics by
>pyrolysis over Ni-C catalysts - has anyone attempted oxygen isotope
>analysis by this method of preparation (i.e. He flow- GC-IRMS)?


At the last Canadian Continuous Flow Conference in Waterloo (August 1997),
there were presentations by three groups working on this:

G.D. Farquhar, B.K. Henry, and J.M. Styles, "A rapid on-line technique for
determination of oxygen isotope composition of nitrogen-containing organic
matter and an application in plant ecophysiological studies."

I.S. Begley and C.M. Scrimgeour, "Continuous flow-pyrolysis-isotope ratio
mass spectrometry, the simple approach to D/H and 18O/16O isotope ratio
measurement."

A. Hilkert (of Finnigan MAT), "Analysis of 18O with the Finnigan MAT GC/C III"


You could perhaps obtain a copy of their abstracts through the
Environmental Isotope Laboratory at the University of Waterloo web page:
http://sciborg.uwaterloo.ca/~rkhmskrk/

Alex

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