TY - JOUR A1 - Vogl, Jochen T1 - The triple-isotope calibration approach: a universal and standard-free calibration approach for obtaining absolute isotope ratios of multi-isotopic elements JF - Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry N2 - The theory of a new calibration approach for obtaining absolute isotope ratios of multi-isotopic elements without the use of any standard has been developed. The calibration approach basically uses the difference in the instrumental isotope fractionation of two different types of mass spectrometers, leading to two different fractionation lines in a three-isotope diagram. When measuring the same sample with both mass spectrometers, the different fractionation lines have one point in common: this is the ‘true’ logarithmized isotope ratio pair of the sample. Thus, the intersection of both fractionation lines provides us with the absolute isotope ratios of the sample. This theory has been tested in practice by measuring Cd and of Pb isotope ratios in the certified reference materials BAM-I012 and NIST SRM981 by thermal ionization mass spectrometry and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry while varying the ionization conditions for both mass spectrometers. With this experiment, the theory could be verified, and absolute isotope ratios were obtained, which were metrologically compatible with the certified isotope ratios. The so-obtained absolute isotope ratios are biased by − 0.5% in average, which should be improved with further developments of the method. This calibration approach is universal, as it can be applied to all elements with three or more isotopes and it is not limited to the type of mass spectrometers applied; it can be applied as well to secondary ion mass spectrometry or others. Additionally, this approach provides information on the fractionation process itself via the triple-isotope fractionation exponent θ. KW - Triple isotope fractionation KW - Absolute isotope ratio KW - Mass spectrometry KW - Calibration KW - Uncertainty PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-516364 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-03050-4 VL - 413 IS - 3 SP - 821 EP - 826 PB - Springer Verlag AN - OPUS4-51636 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pramann, A. A1 - Vogl, Jochen A1 - Rienitz, O. T1 - The Uncertainty Paradox: Molar Mass of Enriched Versus Natural Silicon Used in the XRCD Method JF - MAPAN - Journal of Metrology Society of India N2 - The X-ray crystal density method uses silicon spheres highly enriched in 28Si as a primary method for the dissemination of the SI base unit kilogram yielding smallest possible uncertainties associated with the mass m within a few parts in 10-8. This study compares different available and newly developed analytical methods and their results for the determination of the molar mass M of silicon highly enriched in 28Si (Me) and of silicon (Mx) with an almost natural isotopic distribution. While for Me relative uncertainties urel(Me) in the lower 10-9 range are obtained routinely, it was not possible to fall below a value of urel(Mx) < 4 x 10-6 in the case of natural silicon, which is approximately three orders of magnitude larger. The application of the state-of the-art isotope ratio mass spectrometry accompanied with sophisticated thoroughly investigated methods suggests an intrinsic cause for the large uncertainty associated with the molar mass of natural silicon compared to the enriched material. KW - silicon KW - Molar mass KW - Isotope ratios KW - SI KW - Kilogram KW - Mole KW - XRCD method PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-020-00408-y VL - 35 SP - 499 EP - 510 PB - Springer Verlag AN - OPUS4-51637 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tatzel, Michael A1 - Vogl, Jochen A1 - Rosner, M. A1 - Henehan, M. J. A1 - Tütken, T. T1 - Triple Isotope Fractionation Exponents of Elements Measured by MC-ICP-MS - An Example of Mg JF - Analytical Chemistry N2 - In most chemical reactions, stable isotopes are fractionated in a mass-dependent manner, yielding correlated isotope ratios in elements with three or more stable isotopes. The proportionality between isotope ratios is set by the triple isotope fractionation exponent θ that can be determined precisely for, e.g., sulfur and oxygen by IRMS, but not for metal(loid) elements due to the lower precision of MC-ICP-MS analysis and smaller isotopic variations. Here, using Mg as a test case, we compute a complete metrologically robust uncertainty budget for apparent θ values and, with reference to this, present a new measurement Approach that reduces uncertainty on θ values by 30%. This approach, namely, direct educt-product bracketing (sample−sample bracketing), allows apparent θ values of metal(loid) isotopes to be determined precisely enough to distinguish slopes in three-isotope space. For the example of Mg, we assess appropriate quality Control standards for interference-to-signal ratios and Report apparent θ values of carbonate−seawater pairs. We determined apparent θ values for marine biogenic carbonates, where the foraminifera Globorotalia menardii yields 0.514 ± 0.005 (2 SD), the coral Porites, 0.515 ± 0.006 (2 SD), and two specimens of the giant clam Tridacna gigas, 0.508 ± 0.007 (2 SD) and 0.509 ± 0.006 (2 SD), documenting differences in the uptake pathway of Mg among marine calcifiers. The capability to measure apparent θ values more precisely adds a new dimension to metal(loid) δ values, with the potential to allow us to resolve different modes of fractionation in industrial and natural processes. KW - Isotope fractionation KW - Delta value KW - Biogenic carbonates KW - Calcification KW - Magnesium isotope ratios KW - Measurement uncertainty KW - Sample-sample bracketing PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02699 VL - 91 IS - 22 SP - 14314 EP - 14322 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-49818 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -