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Three whole-wood isotopic reference materials, USGS54, USGS55, and USGS56, for δ2H, δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O measurements

Haiping Qi·Tyler B. Coplen·James A. Jordan
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Abstract

Comparative measurements of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in wood are hampered by the lack of proper reference materials (RMs). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has prepared three powdered, whole-wood RMs, USGS54 ( Pinus contorta , Canadian lodgepole pine), USGS55 ( Cordia cf. dodecandra , Mexican ziricote), and USGS56 ( Berchemia cf. zeyheri , South African red ivorywood). The stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen in these RMs span ranges as δ 2 H VSMOW from –150.4 to –28.2 mUr or ‰, as δ 18 O VSMOW from + 17.79 to + 27.23 mUr, as δ 13 C VPDB from –27.13 to –24.34 mUr, and as δ 15 N AIR-N2 from –2.42 to + 1.8 mUr. These RMs will enable users to normalize measurements of wood samples to isotope–delta scales, and they are intended primarily for the normalization of δ 2 H and δ 18 O measurements of unknown wood samples. However, they also are suitable for normalization of stable isotope measurements of carbon and nitrogen in wood samples. In addition, these RMs are suitable for inter-laboratory calibration for the dual-water suilibration procedure for the measurements of δ 2 H VSMOW values of non-exchangeable hydrogen. The isotopic compositions with 1-σ uncertainties, mass fractions of each element, and fractions of exchangeable hydrogen of these materials are: USGS54 ( Pinus contorta , Canadian Lodgepole pine) δ 2 H VSMOW = –150.4 ± 1.1 mUr (n = 29), hydrogen mass fraction = 6.00 ± 0.04 % (n = 10) Fraction of exchangeable hydrogen = 5.4 ± 0.6 % (n = 29) δ 18 O VSMOW = + 17.79 ± 0.15 mUr (n = 18), oxygen mass fraction = 40.4 ± 0.2 % (n = 6) δ 13 C VPDB = –24.43 ± 0.02 mUr (n = 18), carbon mass fraction = 48.3 ± 0.4 % (n = 12) δ 15 N AIR- N2 = –2.42 ± 0.32 mUr (n = 17), nitrogen mass fraction = 0.05 % (n = 4) USGS55 ( Cordia cf. dodecandra , Mexican ziricote) δ 2 H VSMOW = –28.2 ± 1.7 mUr (n = 30), hydrogen mass fraction = 5.65 ± 0.06 % (n = 10) Fraction of exchangeable hydrogen = 4.1 ± 0.5 % (n = 30) δ 18 O VSMOW = + 19.12 ± 0.07 mUr (n = 18), oxygen mass fraction = 35.3 ± 0.2 % (n = 6) δ 13 C VPDB = –27.13 ± 0.02 mUr (n = 18), carbon mass fraction = 53.3 ± 0.6 % (n = 12) δ 15 N AIR-N2 = –0.3 ± 0.4 mUr (n = 16), nitrogen mass fraction = 0.25 % (n = 4) USGS56 ( Berchemia cf. zeyheri , South African red ivorywood) δ 2 H VSMOW = –44.0 ± 1.8 mUr (n = 30), hydrogen mass fraction = 5.65 ± 0.05 % (n = 10) Fraction of exchangeable hydrogen = 6.6 ± 0.3 % (n = 30) δ 18 O VSMOW = + 27.23 ± 0.03 mUr (n = 12), oxygen mass fraction = 41.1 ± 0.2 % (n = 6) δ 13 C VPDB = –24.34 ± 0.01 mUr (n = 12), carbon mass fraction = 47.3 ± 0.2 % (n = 12) δ 15 N AIR-N2 = + 1.8 ± 0.4 mUr (n = 15), nitrogen mass fraction = 0.27 % (n = 4)

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Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen, James A. Jordan. 2016. Three whole-wood isotopic reference materials, USGS54, USGS55, and USGS56, for δ2H, δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O measurements. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.07.017

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