2020 Ecosystem Transformation 3 (2), 49-57
To shred roughly or to grind? On the methods of sample preparation of the keratinous material for stable hydrogen isotope analysis
Maria A. Belova , Alyona A. Zudilova , Dmitry S. Kopylov
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23859/estr-200407Volume: 3
Number: 2
Pages: 49-57
Received: 07.04.2020
Accepted: 22.04.2020
Available online: 18.05.2020
Published: 15.06.2020
ISSN 2619-094X Print
ISSN 2619-0931 Online
Hydrogen stable isotope measurement in keratin samples (hair, feathers, etc.) is one of the very popular, but rather complex tasks of isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The complexity of such analyzes is associated with the rapid contamination of samples with hydrogen from atmospheric moisture. The effects of various methods of sample preparation on the measured values of δ2H is still an emerging issue in this field of study. The method of hair shredding practically does not affect the dynamics of the atmospheric moisture sorption by the samples. However, despite the same amount and isotopic composition of sorbed water, the measured δ2H values for roughly shredded and grinded hair can vary significantly and unpredictably. Equilibration the hair water content with the atmospheric moisture, even for a long time, does not completely erase the “isotope history” of the sample, which requires a review of standard sample preparation procedures.
Maria Belova
Cherepovets State University
pr. Lunacharskogo 5, Cherepovets, Vologda Region, 162600 Russia
student
Alyona Zudilova
Cherepovets State University
pr. Lunacharskogo 5, Cherepovets, Vologda Region, 162600 Russia
student
Dmitry Kopylov
A.A. Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
Profsoyuznaya str. 123, Moscow, 117868 Russia
Cherepovets State University
pr. Lunacharskogo 5, Cherepovets, Vologda Region, 162600 Russia
PhD in Biology
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Keywords: IRMS, deuterium, hair, mass-spectrometry, water, sorption
For citation: Belova, M.A., Zudilova, A.A., Kopylov, D.S., 2020. To shred roughly or to grind? On the methods of sample preparation of the keratinous material for stable hydrogen isotope analysis. Ecosystem Transformation 3 (2), 49–57