Precise and accurate compound-specific carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of RDX by GC-IRMS |
| |
Authors: | Faina Gelman Anna Kotlyar Daniel Chiguala Zeev Ronen |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Geological Survey of Israel , Jerusalem, Israel faina@gsi.gov.il;3. Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Ben-gurion University – Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology, Sede-Boqer , Israel;4. Geological Survey of Israel , Jerusalem, Israel |
| |
Abstract: | A new analytical method is presented for the compound-specific carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio analysis of a thermo-labile nitramine explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) by gas chromatograph coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC-IRMS). Two main approaches were used to minimise thermal decomposition of the compound during gas chromatographic separation: programmed temperature vaporisation (PTV) as an injection technique and a high-temperature ramp rate during the GC run. δ15N and δ13C values of RDX measured by GC-IRMS and elemental analyser (EA)-IRMS were in good agreement within a standard deviation of 0.3‰ and 0.4‰ for nitrogen and carbon, respectively. Application of the method for the isotope analysis of RDX during alkaline hydrolysis at 50°C revealed isotope fractionation factors ε carbon?=??7.8‰ and ε nitrogen?=??5.3‰. |
| |
Keywords: | RDX thermo-labile compound CSIA isotope fractionation |
|
|