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A novel approach to measure isotope ratios via multi-collector—inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry based on sample mixing with a non-enriched standard

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Abstract

In this work, a novel approach to measure isotope ratios via multi-collector—inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for low amounts of target element is proposed. The methodology is based on mixing of the sample (target element isolate) with a non-enriched in-house standard, previously characterized for its isotopic composition. This methodology has been applied to isotopic analysis of Cu and of Fe in whole blood samples. For this purpose, different mixtures of sample + in-house standard were prepared and adjusted to a final concentration of 500 μg/L of the target elements for isotopic analysis. δ65Cu, δ56Fe, and δ57Fe varied linearly as a function of the amount of in-house standard (or of sample) present in the mixture. The isotopic composition of the sample was calculated considering the isotope ratios measured for (i) the mixture and (ii) the in-house standard and (iii) the relative concentrations of target element contributed by the sample and the standard to the mixture, respectively. For validation purposes, the isotopic analysis of whole blood Cu was carried out using both the conventional (using 2 mL of whole blood) and the newly developed approach (using 500 μL of whole blood). The δ65Cu values obtained using mixtures containing 40 % (200 μg/L) of Cu from the blood samples and 60 % (300 μg/L) of Cu from the in-house standard were in good agreement with the δ65Cu value obtained using the conventional approach (bias ≤0.15 ‰).

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Acknowledgments

The Flemish Research Foundation (FWO-Vlaanderen) is acknowledged for financial support through Research Project G023014N. Marta Costas-Rodríguez thanks BOF-UGent for her postdoctoral grant. Prof. Dr. A. Verstraete (Department of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University) is acknowledged for providing us with whole blood samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Marta Costas-Rodríguez, Lara Lobo & Frank Vanhaecke

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  1. Marta Costas-Rodríguez
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  2. Lara Lobo
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  3. Frank Vanhaecke
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Correspondence to Frank Vanhaecke.

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Marta Costas-Rodríguez and Lara Lobo contributed equally to this work.

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Costas-Rodríguez, M., Lobo, L. & Vanhaecke, F. A novel approach to measure isotope ratios via multi-collector—inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry based on sample mixing with a non-enriched standard. Anal Bioanal Chem 406, 4393–4399 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7837-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7837-1

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