Enhanced resolution of organic compounds from sediments by isotopic gas chromatography-combustion-mass spectrometry

Eric Lichtfouse (1) , Katherine H. Freeman , James W. Collister , Dawn A. Merritt

1 ASD - Agronomy for Sustainable Development

The resolution of organic compounds from sediments is increased by 13C/12C isotopic gas chromatography-combustion-mass spectrometry relative to gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Impurities which elute close together with n-alkanes, phytane and a C32 hopanoid acid methyl ester are resolved with a valley increase of up to 100%. This phenomenon is probably due to fractionation during gas chromatographic elution and enhanced detection monitoring of the isotopic composition of the carbon dioxide produced by the combustion of the eluting substances

Mots clés: 13C; n-alkane; IRMS; CSIA; GC-IRMS; phytane; hopanoid; ester; resolution

Domaines: Science des sols; Chimie analytique; Géochimie

Eric Lichtfouse, Katherine H. Freeman, James W. Collister, Dawn A. Merritt. Enhanced resolution of organic compounds from sediments by isotopic gas chromatography-combustion-mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1991, 585 (1), pp.177-180. ⟨10.1016/0021-9673(91)85074-P⟩. ⟨hal-00175052⟩