Stable Isotope Facility of the University of Vienna for Environmental Research | SILVER

CeMESS runs the Stable Isotope Facility of the University of Vienna for Environmental Research (SILVER), which specialises in analysing stable isotopes of light elements in environmental samples. It is the largest facility of its kind in Austria, and one of the leading laboratories for ecological research with stable isotopes in Europe. At SILVER, we analyse isotopes of light elements that constitute the biosphere (such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur), which naturally exist in more than one stable (non-radioactive) isotopic form. The ratio between heavy and light stable isotopes(like 13C/12C or 15N/14N) in a sample can provide valuable information about the physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring in the environment, and about sources and sinks of matter.

Moreover, by experimentally enriching specific compounds with heavy stable isotopes, we can precisely trace their fate and transformations in complex environmental systems – which is not possible by any other approach.SILVER is part of the Large-Instrument Facility for Advanced Isotope Research at the University of Vienna.

The SILVER facility boasts five continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometers (IRMS), each designed for specific types of analysis. This includes an elemental analyser (EA-IRMS) system for analysing 13C and 15N in solid samples, a high-temperature pyrolysis unit for 2H and 18O in solids and liquids, and a Gasbench-IRMS for concentrating and measuring stable isotopes in trace gases. We also combine IRMS with liquid chromatography (LC-IRMS) and gas chromatography (GC-IRMS) to analyse 13C, 15N and 2H in organic solutes in a compound-specific way.