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Fast, Automated Analysis of Nitrogen-15 Nitrate from Plant and Soil Extracts

Europa Scientific, Europa House, Electra Way, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 1ZA, UK

Alain Gojon

Biochimie et Physiologie Vegetales, INRA ENSA-M, Montpellier, France

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

A batch procedure that selectively reduces NO₃ from plant tissue and soil extracts to NO for ¹⁵N analysis has been adapted for continuous-flow, isotope ratio mass spectrometry. this provides a fast and simple method of analyzing large numbers of samples; a batch of 50 samples can be prepared and analyzed in under 4 h. The technique is much faster and requires smaller samples than manual determination using conventional mass spectrometry. Samples containing from 20 to 200 µg NO₃-N were analyzed with a precision (standard deviation) of 0.001 atom % at natural abundance and 0.005 atom % at 10 atom % ¹⁵N; the precision is limited more by sample preparation than analysis. The ability to easily determine ¹⁵N-NO₃ in whole extracts is of great help in performing ¹⁵N labeling experiments, allowing short-term measurements of the N flues through key processes such as NO₃ transport and assimilation in plants or nitrification in soils.

Received for publication March 30, 1992.