Stable Isotope Ratios

Stable isotopes can be used to trace the origin, history, sources, sinks, and interactions in water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles; study the fate and transport of pollutants in the environment; determine the source of pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; understand marine food webs and monitor sites under remediation.

Narelle Stable Isotopes — Samples being loaded for δ13C & δ15N via EA-IRMS

At ANSTO we utilise a range of modern instruments manufactured by Thermo Fisher(GasBench II, Delta V Adv IRMS, Flash EA) , Elementar (Ecovision IRMS, vario ISOTOPE select EA), Picarro (L2130-i Cavity Ring Down Mass Spectrometer) & ABB (Liquid Water Isotope Analyser) to generate precision data calibrated against internationally recognised IAEA & NIST standards.

Notes:
1. Limits of detection may vary depending on sample size & matrix. Only environmental samples may be submitted for analysis to ERTG laboratories. Please contact us to discuss submission of other sample types.
2. Please inform us if you are submitting samples with concentrations above the upper limit, so we can avoid instrument contamination
3. Precision my vary for small samples sizes and atypical matrices
4. Prices may vary depending on how the samples are provided, solid samples must be provided dried and ground.
5. Enriched or depleted samples that deviate ≤ 50‰ from natural abundance may be permitted, please discuss this prior to submission.
Capability	Typical¹ Limits of Detection²	Precision³	Contact Person	Pricing Unit	Commercial Price⁴ (ex GST)
Acid treatment of sediments to remove carbonates prior to delta ¹³C analysis	n/a	n/a	Linda Barry Narelle Hegarty	sample	$55
Bone (collagen) samples: N% for collagen test	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.1%	Linda Barry	sample	$64
Bone (collagen) samples: collagen extraction prior to delta ¹³C, C%, delta ¹⁵N & N% analyses	natural isotopic abundance⁵	n/a	Fiona Doessel	sample	Project specific
Stable isotope, delta ¹³C analysis in graphite ONLY	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.3‰	Linda Barry	sample	$64
Stable isotope, delta ²H & delta ¹⁸O analysis in water via Picarro CRDS	natural isotopic abundance⁵ < 50 mS/cm	1‰ H; 0.15‰ O	Narelle Hegarty	sample	$65
Stable isotope, delta ²H & delta ¹⁸O analysis in saline water via Picarro CRDS	natural isotopic abundance⁵ 50 - 200 mS/cm	1‰ H; 0.15‰ O	Narelle Hegarty	sample	$81
Stable isotope delta ¹⁵N & N% analysis in solids	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.3‰	Narelle Hegarty Linda Barry	sample	$49 - $64
Stable isotope, delta ¹³C & C% analysis in solids	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.3‰	Narelle Hegarty Linda Barry	sample	$49 - $64
Carbon concentration in DIC	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.4%	Narelle Hegarty	sample	$70
Stable isotope delta ¹³C in DIC	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.3‰	Narelle Hegarty	sample	$66
Inorganic stable isotope delta ¹³C & ¹⁸O (ICO) in biogenic carbonates and speleothems	natural isotopic abundance⁵	0.3‰	Narelle Hegarty	sample	$66