Mass spectrometry of the intramolecular nitrogen isotope distribution of environmental nitrous oxide using fragment-ion analysis

Mass spectrometry is applied to measure the intramolecular distribution of (15)N in N(2)O samples of near natural isotopic composition. The method is relatively straightforward and based on the analysis of the (14)NO and (15)NO fragment ion beams at mass 30 and 31, respectively, in combination with the standard analysis of the masses 44, 45, and 46 of the non-fragmented N(2)O. Various complications in the application, not all of which are resolved at present, are discussed. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.