gas chromatograph - pyrolyses - isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC-Py-IRMS)

应用的仪器是一个同位素比质谱仪，它通过一个在线热解反应器与一台气相色谱仪相连。这种耦合用于化合物特定的氢和氧同位素分析。在过去的二十年里，后者在古气候和环境研究中成为了一个宝贵的工具。特别是，叶蜡衍生的正构烷烃生物标志物的氢同位素分析在世界各地的许多实验室都得到了很好的建立。相比之下，到目前为止，世界上只有三个研究实验室实现了化合物特定氧同位素分析，例如植物来源的糖生物标志物。我们应用的目的是继续开发和应用化合物特定氧同位素分析。在一个研究项目中，我们将开发和测试一种新型的氧气热解反应器。在其他研究项目中，我们的目标是帮助重建不同研究地区(南非、埃塞俄比亚的贝尔山脉、蒙古、北极高地和阿尔卑斯山)的晚第四纪和全新世气候、环境和人类历史。湖泊沉积物、泥炭和地面冰和永久冻土的有机物质作为档案。特别是，申请人和他的团队将把重点放在化合物特有的氢和氧同位素结果的耦合上。通过使用重建的树叶水或湖水，这种耦合允许(I)重建相对空气湿度(--&gt；古湿度)和(Ii)重建降水的同位素组成，比仅基于化合物特定的氢或氧同位素结果更可靠。

The applied instrument is an isotope ratio mass spectrometer being coupled via an “online” pyrolysis reactor to a gas chromatograph. Such a coupling is used for compound-specific hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses. The latter became an invaluable tool amongst others in paleoclimate and -environmental research during the last two decades. Particularly, the hydrogen isotope analyses of leaf wax-derived n-alkane biomarkers is meanwhile well established in many laboratories worldwide. By contrast, compound-specific oxygen isotope analyses - e.g. of plant-derived sugar biomarkers - were hitherto realized in only three research laboratories worldwide.The aim of our application is to continue the development and application of compound-specific oxygen isotope analyses. Within one research project we will develop and test a new type of oxygen pyrolysis reactor. Within other research projects, we aim at contributing to the reconstruction of late Quaternary and Holocene climate, environmental and human history of various study areas (South Africa, Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, Mongolia, high arctic islands and the Alps). Lake sediments, peats and organic material of ground ice and permafrost serve as archives. Particularly, the applicant and his team will focus on the coupling of compound-specific hydrogen and oxygen isotope results. By using the reconstructed leaf water or lake water, this coupling allows (i) to reconstruct relative air humidity (--> paleohygrometrie) and (ii) to reconstruct the isotopic composition of precipitation more robust than based on compound-specific hydrogen or oxygen isotope results alone.