IRMS

About

We are primarily a collaborative service facility that aims to enable and develop stable isotope applications and to answer congruent research questions.

We support interdisciplinary investigations of soil and aquatic habitats by offering scientific consultation, student training, and a broad range of instrumentation and approaches for determining stable isotopic ratios of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen. Our commitment is to scientific merit and publication of the stable isotope ratio measurements generated by our combined thought, time, resources, and facilities.

Our facility was established with funding from the EU structural and investment funds. We charge at-cost prices for analyses to cover consumables. For the time we invest into providing each isotope value, our academic staff therefore prefers to participate as collaborators and co-authors for all projects, conference abstracts, publications, etc. that report data generated from our instrumentation. We’re also keen to assist with data interpretation and writing manuscripts, services that you don’t typically receive from commercial labs. In summary, we primarily contribute our knowledge, experience, and machine-time to research projects that advance a significant scientific agenda.

The ISBB Stable Isotope Facility is located in České Budějovice, Czechia within the framework of the Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences. Initiated in February 2018 (former Soil and Water Research Infrastucture), the facility currently provides the following measurements:

• δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ ³⁴S solids
• δ²H and δ¹⁸O of solids
• δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O carbonates
• δ²H, δ¹⁸O water
• δ¹³C and δ²H methane and C_2-6 gases
• δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O of atmosphere CO₂
• δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, δ²H fatty acid methyl esters, n-alkanes, and other biomarkers
• δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ²H amino acids
• δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O of N₂O reduced from nitrate (TiCl3 method)

Analysis protocols currently in development include:

• δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, δ²H monosaccharides
• δ¹³C organic acids

Services & Capabilities

Protocols for each analysis are linked to the parameters below.

The Lab is equipped with a Thermo Scientific^TM 253 Plus^TM 10 kV IRMS configured for determining the stable isotopic ratios of C, N, S, O, and H introduced as CO₂, N₂, SO₂, H₂, CO, or N₂O via continuous flow from the peripheral instruments listed below.

• SmartEA Isolink (Thermo Scientific^TM) converts solid and liquid samples to CO₂, N₂, SO₂, H₂, and/or CO gases via flash combustion and, in a single injection, allows for determination of δ ¹³C, δ ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S in samples with C:S ratios up to 10³. A high temperature combustion furnace is also available for δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O measurements.

• Trace GC 1310 Isolink II with Conflo-IV and tandem ISQ (Thermo Scientific^TM) for separation of ≥C₁ gases and combustion/pyrolysis for determination of stable isotopic composition. Analytes may also be channeled to the ISQ for simultaneous generation of MS2 spectra to support compound identification. The GC injection ports are equipped with both standard and PTV injectors as well as a double-shot pyrolyzer.

• GasBench II (Thermo Scientific^TM) with cold trap allows for pre-concentration, purification, and separation of CO₂, N₂, SO₂, H₂, CO, and N₂O introduced via autosampler injection of headspace samples as well as direct injection onto sample loops (50-250 µL). Flow can also be diverted to GC-Isolink reactors for CH4 isotopic analysis

• LC IsoLink for separation and conversion of organic compounds to CO₂ for IRMS analysis. The LC flow may be split to an ICPMS/MS detector, allowing for simultaneous analysis of stable isotopic and metal compositions. LC & IC column chromatography is envisioned to allow separation of targeted compound groups (i.e., mono- and oligo-saccharides, sugar alcohols, amino acids and organic acids) as well as non-targeted mixtures of complex natural substances with molecular weights ranging up to 1000 kDa.

Collaborative Service Projects

Ongoing and completed projects, grants, & collaborations

People

Graduates & Alumni