World's first simultaneous ¹³C+D isotope analyzer

Picarro B2221-i Analyzer

Perform simultaneous carbon-13 and deuterium isotope analysis for bulk organic samples.

Combust one sample to measure both ¹³C + D ratios
One analyzer replaces two IRMS systems
Comparable precision to IRMS at one-third the upfront investment
Much faster than IRMS—20 minutes per replicate for both ¹³C+D analyses
Easy sample prep. 99 replicates run in 33 hours while unattended

With high precision, unprecedented ease of use, unparalleled speed and low cost of ownership, the B2221-i Analyzer is an accessible, practical alternative to mass spectrometry.

Traditionally, measuring carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios requires two separate isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques (EA-IRMS for ¹³C/¹²C and TC/EA-IRMS for D/H). IRMS measurements are not made simultaneously and thus require separate sample preparation and instrument set-up by a highly trained operator. The Picarro ¹³C + D Analyzer supplants both IRMS techniques, enabling any person of moderate technical capability to perform world-class isotope analyses. Our ¹³C + D Analyzer is so simple that it can be deployed in the field.

How does it work? A liquid or solid organic sample is wrapped in tin foil and placed in the autosampler. Then the sample is combusted within the reaction column of the combustion module, converting all the carbon to CO₂ and all the hydrogen to H₂O. These combustion products flow into the state-of-the-art Picarro analyzer, which measures the ¹³C/¹²C ratio in CO₂ and the D/H ratio in H₂O, simultaneously reflecting the ratios in the original bulk organic sample. Unlike IRMS, the B2221-i uses N₂ as a carrier gas, which is far cheaper than helium. It also does not require pulses of CO₂ and H₂ reference gases of known isotope ratio.

The analyzer combines Picarro’s high-precision isotopic CRDS with combustion technology to produce an instrument ideally suited for a wide range of ¹³C + D bulk stable isotope analysis applications. Expand the use of stable isotope techniques into new scientific applications and research initiatives. Read more about ¹³C + D applications in Nabil Saad's blog.