Sample Preparation of Soil and Plant Material for Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

Book excerpt: Stable isotope techniques can help improve soil management and crop nutrition. To ensure the quality of stable isotope analysis through isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), appropriate sample preparation is crucial. This publication presents methods for proper plant and soil sample processing for IRMS analysis. The information on such methods is often described in a summarized and non-comprehensive way without illustration of every step. This publication fills this gap and presents a selection of standard operating procedures and provides highly detailed guidance on sample preparation that will support practitioners in conducting reliable isotope analysis on plant and soil materials.