Determination of Hydrogen, Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Ratios of Ethanol in Water at Millimole Levels

Three stable isotope ratios, D/H, 13C/12C and 18O/16O, are measurable in ethanol, an important organic compound that is used as material for food and beverages, fuel and chemical feedstock, and as a substance related to metabolism. We developed a simple and rapid method of measurement of three isotope ratios of ethanol in water at millimole levels using a gas chromatography - high-temperature conversion or combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-TC/C-IRMS) combined with solid phase microextraction (SPME). Using this method, the delta value for ethanol was determined in 30 min for deltaD and delta13C, and in 75 min for delta18O with precisions of ±9 permille, ±0.3 permille and ±0.7 permille respectively for deltaD, delta13C, and delta18O. An advantage of this process is that it requires no distillation for ethanol purification. The method is useful for small quantities of analyte with low ethanol concentrations, which is expected for environmental and metabolic studies.

YAMADA Keita;  YOSHIDA Naohiro;  CALDERONE Giovanni;  GUILLOU Claude; 

2007-08-02

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

JRC37037

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC37037,   

10.1002/rcm.2977,