Home Instruments & Equipments Isotope-Chemistry (IC) unit IC & IC/GC-IRMS

IC & IC/GC-IRMS

These instruments are dedicated to molecular isotopic analysis of specific compounds (sugars, amino sugars) in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N on liquid samples at natural or enriched abundance, or to concentration analysis of simple organic molecules (sugars, amino sugars, amino acids).

An Ion Chromatography (IC) and a Gas Chromatography (GC) system coupled to an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS). After extraction, purification (and derivatization) of target organic compounds from complex matrices (leaves, soil, wood, etc.), liquid samples are injected into liquid or gas chromatography columns, allowing separation of compounds of interest before concentration measurements using Pulsed Amperometry Detectors (PAD) or Flame Ionization Detectors (FID). Once concentrations are measured, the gases are transferred to the IRMS via a carrier gas (He). Each gas molecule corresponding to a target compound is ionized under high voltage, and the resulting ions are separated in a magnetic field according to their masses. Different isotopologues are collected in Faraday cups, and the results are normalized and standardized.

Three configurations are available: IC-IC, IC-IRMS, or GC-IRMS.

Applications: 

  • Metabolite dynamics and C/N allocation
  • Modelling of biogeochemical cycles (soil-tree-atmosphere continuum)
  • Functioning of trophic networks
  • Pollutant dynamics

 

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By: CM Publication date: 17 January 2022 Modification date: 26 August 2025