BCO-DMO BlogInstrument: Elemental Analyzer
Instruments that quantify carbon, nitrogen and sometimes other elements by combusting the sample at very high temperature and assaying the resulting gaseous oxides. Usually used for samples including organic material.
Measurement: The filters were folded inside a tin disk and analyzed on a Perkin Elmer 2400 Elemental Analyzer. The samples were combusted at 1200-1300°C and then passed through a reduction tube to removes the oxygen added to raise the combustion temperature. Filers were not acid fumed prior to analysis. The C and N were then separated in a chromatographic column and were measured on a Thermal Conductivity Detector. Carbon and nitrogen standards, and blank filters were used to calibrate the data. The accuracy of the instrument was <0.3% and the precision of the instrument was <0.2%. These were published values and we find that we were always within these limits (usually ±0.15% for carbon and ±0.1% for nitrogen). We ran cystine as our standard (29.99% Carbon, 11.66% Nitrogen). The analytical range of the instrument is: Carbon= .001 to 3.6 mg and Nitrogen= 0.001 to 6.0 mg.
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