Analytical Services
Overview
Our laboratory provides analysis of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes for a variety of sample types such as:
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animal tissues (e.g., muscle, liver, skin, egg, hair, teeth, scales, feathers, invertebrates, vertebrae, spines, zooplankton)
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plant tissue (e.g., leaves, roots, bark, fungi, phytoplankton, algae)
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soils and sediments
Carbon and Nitrogen Analysis
Our laboratory currently runs multiple (at least 5) different standards with each sample run. These standards include those made ‘in-house’, as well as commercially purchased certified secondary reference standards.
Secondary reference standards are compounds that have been calibrated against primary calibration materials. In the case of Carbon this primary reference material is Peedee Belemite now known as VPBD (Virtual Peedee Belemite as original material has now been exhausted). For Nitrogen it is atmospheric nitrogen.
Current standards used are:
Bovine Liver (NIST 1577c) certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used in our isotope calculations as an organic standard.
Tilapia internal lab standard chosen to closely resemble samples being run (not used to calculate isotope ratios but used as an accuracy "checker" standard).
USGS 40 certified by the United States Geological Society as a secondary reference standard. This standard is not used in our isotope calculations but is used as an accuracy "checker".
USGS 41 certified by the United States Geological Society as a secondary reference standard. This standard is used in our calculations and is used as our high anchor point.
Urea IVA 33802174 certified secondary reference standard. This standard is used in our calculations and is used as our low anchor point.
Blur Harbor Tuna internal lab standard chosen to closely resemble samples being run (not used to calculate isotope ratios but used as an accuracy "checker" standard).
Spinach Leaves certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used as a plant reference material.
Sulphur Analysis
Current standards used are:
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Bovine Liver (NIST 1577c) certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used in our isotope calculations as an organic standard.
Tilapia internal lab standard chosen to closely resemble samples being run (not used to calculate isotope ratios but used as an accuracy "checker" standard)
USGS 43 certified by the United States Geological Society a secondary reference standard. This standard is not used in our isotope calculations but is used as an accuracy "checker".
NIST 8529 certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This standard is used in our calculations and is used as our low anchor point.
NIST 8555 certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This standard is used in our calculations and is used as our high anchor point.