In conversations with stable isotope researchers around the world a recurrent theme has been the problems caused by organics compounds in water samples, ranging from plant water extracts to alcoholic beverages.  For laser-based spectroscopic analyzers like Picarro, certain organic compounds, mostly alcohols, have caused spectral interference which distorted the reported isotope ratio.  We took the first step towards solving the problem last year with our ChemCorrect^TM software, which flags, identifies and quantifies organic contamination. With that software in hand we had a simple screening tool to evaluate the efficacy of different approaches to removing organic contamination from samples without affecting the isotopic composition of the water. 

It took a a year of research, half a dozen approaches, many prototype iterations and a lot of 'fragrant' plant extract doped water samples to figure out this particularly vexxing problem.  Now I am very excited to announce that Picarro has created a simple solution to the organics in water samples problem.

Our new Micro-Pyrolysis Technology^TM  (MPT) actually removes nearly all traces of many types of common organics from water samples without significantly altering the isotopic composition of the water sample itself. To do this, the water vapor passes thru a specially designed element, a microreactor of sorts, that achieves very high temperatures.  It is so hot it literally glows!  The internal temperature is above the thermal decomposition temperature of alcohols but below the thermal decomposition threshold of water . As a result, the organics are decomposed and removed from the sample while the water in the sample retains the isotope ratios captured at point or time of collection.  We've tested against a broad range of samples with organic contamination including some of problematic plant water extracts sent to me by some of you.  In addition we've sent out gas samples run thru the MPT to verify the chemistry of the decomposition products. In short it is a very effective solution for the types and levels of contamination found in plant water extracts.

This technology can be mounted onto the underside of Picarro's A0211 Vaporizers (we call it the Micro-Pyrolysis Module^TM) and work with any version of our isotopic water analyzers (including the first generation).  In addition our MPT innovation will be an integral part of our Induction Module - CRDS system, a technology we built to enable rapid and simple water extraction for isotope analysis  in the lab or in the field.  For those of you have already purchased an IM-CRDS we will include it at no additional charge.  It's a really powerful addition to the capabilities of the IM-CRDS. 

At the same time we have been analyzing huge numbers of samples with the IM-CRDS in the lab including foods (cheese) and creating isotopics maps isotopic maps of pine branches and needles with high spatial resolution.  Look for details in upcoming application notes.  

If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer them personally and thanks for reading.  In the meantime I might be working on how to measure that second problematic sample, the one where ethanol is the primary 'contaminant', as our next 'food' application.