Sampling systems for isotope-ratio mass spectrometry of atmospheric ammonia.
Passive and active ammonia (NH(3)) sampling devices have been tested for their nitrogen (N) capture potential and delta(15)N fractionation effects. Several sampling techniques produced significantly different delta(15)NH(3) signals when sampling the same NH(3) source released from field site fumigation campaigns. Conventional passive NH(3)-monitoring systems have shown to provide insufficient N for isotope-ratio mass spectrometry and various modified devices have been developed, based on existing diffusion tube designs, to overcome this problem. The final sampler design was then tested in a wind tunnel to verify that sampling NH(3) in different environmental conditions did not significantly fractionate the delta(15)N signal.
Skinner
Richard
R
University of York, Heslington, York YO105DD, UK. ras108.york@gmail.com
Ineson
Phil
P
Jones
Helen
H
Sleep
Daren
D
Theobald
Mark
M
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D006113:United Kingdom
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000641:Ammonia