Gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometric analysis of the stable carbon composition of tetrols

Abstract

The stable carbon isotope compositions of tetrols, erythritol and threitol were determined by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). Using four tetrols with various delta(13)C values derivatized by methylboronic acid, the carbon isotope analysis method achieved excellent reproducibility and high accuracy. There was no carbon isotopic fractionation during the derivatization processes. The differences in the carbon isotopic compositions of methylboronates between the measured and calculated ranged from -0.20 to 0.12 per thousand, within the specification of the GC/C/IRMS system. It was demonstrated that delta(13)C values of tetrols could be calculated by a simple mass balance equation between tetrols, methylboronic acid, and methylboronates. The analogous 2-methyltetrols, marker compounds of photooxidation products of atmospheric isoprene, should have similar behavior using the same derivatization reagent. This method may provide insight on sources and sinks of atmospheric isoprene.

Determination of the stable carbon isotopic compositions of 2‐methyltetrols in ambient aerosols from the Changbai Mountains

“…Methylboronic acid (purity, 98%) was obtained from ABCR Gmbh & Co. (Karlsruhe, Germany). These three chemicals were recrystallized using the procedure described by Wang et al 8. Chemical standards of the 2‐methyltetrols were synthesized and purified in our laboratory according to the same method described by Wang et al 10.…”

“…At the beginning and end of each batch of all the measurements, CO 2 standard gases (known δ 13 C values, −26.65‰) were introduced as external references. Ten n‐alkane standard with known δ 13 C values (C 12 , C 14 , C 16 , C 18 , C 20 , C 22 , C 25 , C 28 , C 30 and C 32 , supplied by Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA) and laboratory standards of erythritol methylboronate and threitol methylboronate (synthesized by methylboronic acid derivatization of chemical standards of erythritol and threitol, respectively, using the same method as described by Wang et al 8…”

“…Van Dongen et al 6. and Gross and Glaser7 developed a methylboronic acid derivatization technique, which was recently applied in the determination of the stable carbon isotopic compositions of tetrols 8, 9. In these applications it was suggested that no isotopic fractionation was introduced in the methylboronic acid derivatization of tetrols (erythritol and threitol) and of analogous 2‐methyltetrols.…”

Derivatization of Levoglucosan for Compound-Specific δ13C Analysis by Gas Chromatography/Combustion/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

“…e reaction mixture was totally vaporized after 20 min at 90°C, and the production of LMT (2) was precarious and became undetectable at 100°C. Gross and Glaser [8] also observed 100°C was too hot in monosaccharide MBA derivatization and slightly larger product peaks at 80°C than 60°C but eventually used 60°C for both MBA and BSTFA derivatizations, so did van Dongen et al [7] and our previous work with tetrols [22,23]. Jackson et al simply derivatized glucose with alkylboronic acid at 80°C and successive BSTFA at 60°C [9].…”

Development of a Compound-Specific Carbon Isotope Analysis Method for 2-Methyltetrols, Biomarkers for Secondary Organic Aerosols from Atmospheric Isoprene

“…Methylboronic acid (MBA) has been reported to determine natural 13 C abundances of monosaccharides by derivatizing adjacent hydroxyl groups of monosaccharides followed by N , O -bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) derivatization of the remaining single OH groups. , Recently, Boschker et al reported a versatile method for stable carbon isotope analysis of carbohydrates by high-performance liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. To develop a compound-specific isotope analysis method for 2-methyltetrols, marker compounds of photooxidation products of isoprene, a technique from our previous work was adapted . MBA was used as the derivatization reagent prior to gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS).…”