HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Adamsen, F. J. Articles by Reeder, J. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Adamsen, F. J. Articles by Reeder, J. D. Agricola Articles by Adamsen, F. J. Articles by Reeder, J. D.

A Comparison of Diffusion and Distillation Methods for Preparing Samples for ¹⁵N Analyses¹

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to compare a distillation method with tube diffusion for the preparation of samples for ¹⁵N analyses. Standard samples [1 mg of N as (NH₄)₂SO₄] with various ¹⁵N excess contents (0, 3, or 10 atom % excess ¹⁵N) were distilled or diffused and compared with nondiffused, nondistilled standards. There were no significant differences between treatments at the 0% level of enrichment. However, at the 3 and 10% levels of enrichment, both distilled and diffused standards were significantly lower than the nondistilled, nondiffused standards. No significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between HCl and H₂SO₄ as trapping solutions. The data indicate that diffusion is an acceptable alternative to distillation, since the ¹⁵N values are comparable and the precision is slightly better.

¹ This work was supported in part by the Colorado State Univ. Exp. Stn. and National Science Foundation grant DEB-7906007.

² Research Associate, Range Science Dep., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO 80523; and Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box E, Fort Collins, CO 80522.

Received for publication July 7, 1982. Accepted for publication October 19, 1982.