Determination of the {sup 13}C/{sup 12}C ratio of individual hydrocarbons produced from the pyrolysis of biomass materials using GC-MS/C/IRMS
- National Research Council, Athens, GA (United States)
- Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA (United States)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Athens, GA (United States)
The coupling of a quadrapole mass spectrometer to a gas chromatograph/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC/C/IRMS) allows simultaneous mass spectral detection and isotope ratio analysis of individual compounds separated on a single column. This significantly enhances the ability to identify and assess the purity of individual compounds in complex organic mixtures. Here we describe the application of GC-MS/C/IRMS to determine the {gamma}{sup 13}C of individual aliphatic and aromatic compounds produced from the pyrolysis of a variety of biomass materials in controlled laboratory experiments. The results of these studies may serve as a means of determining past biomass fire origin, frequency and intensity (e.g., C{sub 3} forest vs. C{sub 4} grassland). The results may also be of value in assessing past climatic conditions since biomass burning has been shown to be an important source of greenhouse and other chemically active gases over the past few decades.
- OSTI ID:
- 214843
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950801--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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