A portable automated system for trace gas sampling in the field and stable isotope analysis in the laboratory

A computer-controllable mobile system is presented which enables the automatic collection of 33 air samples in the field and the subsequent analysis for sigma(13)C and sigma(18)O stable isotope ratios of a carbon-containing trace gas in the laboratory, e.g. CO2, CO or CH4. The system includes a manifold gas source input for profile sampling and an infrared gas analyzer for in situ CO2 concentration measurements. Measurements of sigma(13)C and sigma(18)O of all 33 samples can run unattended and take less than six hours for CO2. Laboratory tests with three gases (compressed air with different pCO2 and stable isotope compositions) showed a measurement precision of 0.03parts per thousand for sigma(13)C and 0.02parts per thousand for sigma(18)C of CO2 (standard error (SE), n = 11). A field test of our system, in which 66 air samples were collected within a 24-hour period above grassland, showed a correlation of 0.99 (r(2)) between the inverse of pCO(2) and sigma(13)C Of CO2. Storage of samples until analysis is possible for about 1 week; this can be an important factor for sampling in remote areas. A wider range of applications in the field is open with our system, since sampling and analysis of CO and CH4 for stable isotope composition is also possible. Samples of compressed air had a measurement precision (SE, n = 33) of 0.03parts per thousand for sigma(13)C and of 0.04parts per thousand for sigma(18)O on CO and of 0.07parts per thousand for sigma(13)C on CH4. Our system should therefore further facilitate research of trace gases in the context of the carbon cycle in the field, and opens many other possible applications with carbon- and possibly non-carbon-containing trace gases. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.