A method for carbon stable isotope analysis of methyl halides and chlorofluorocarbons at pptv concentrations.
A pre-concentration system has been validated for use with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC/MS/IRMS) to determine ambient air (13)C/(12)C ratios for methyl halides (MeCl and MeBr) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The isotopic composition of specific compounds can provide useful information on their atmospheric budgets and biogeochemistry that cannot be ascertained from abundance measurements alone. Although pre-concentration systems have been previously used with a GC/MS/IRMS for atmospheric trace gas analysis, this is the first study also to report system validation tests. Validation results indicate that the pre-concentration system and subsequent separation technologies do not significantly alter the stable isotopic ratios of the target methyl halides, CFC-12 (CCl(2)F(2)) and CFC-113 (C(2)Cl(3)F(3)). Significant, but consistent, isotopic shifts of -27.5 per thousand to -25.6 per thousand do occur within the system for CFC-11 (CCl(3)F), although the shift is correctible. The method presented has the capacity to separate these target halocarbons from more than 50 other compounds in ambient air samples. Separation allows for the determination of stable carbon isotope ratios of five of these six target trace atmospheric constituents within ambient air for large volume samples (</=10 L). Representative urban air analyses from Belfast City are also presented which give carbon isotope results similar to published values for (13)C/(12)C analysis of MeCl (-39.1 per thousand) and CFC-113 (-28.1 per thousand). However, this is the first paper reporting stable carbon isotope signatures for CFC-11 (-29.4 per thousand) and CFC-12 (-37.0 per thousand).
Archbold
Marie E
ME
Environmental Engineering Research Centre, School of Civil Engineering, Queen's University of Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Rd., Belfast BT9 5AG, UK. m.archbold@qub.ac.uk
Redeker
Kelly R
KR
Davis
Simon
S
Elliot
Trevor
T
Kalin
Robert M
RM
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017402:Chlorofluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis*; D007494:Ireland; D008737:Methyl Chloride / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D017402:Chlorofluorocarbons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D008737:Methyl Chloride; C027947:methylene bromide