Recommended Packaging
| Beta Analytic Services | Turnaround Time (business days) |
Recommended Sample Volume | Recommended Container |
| – δ13C on Water DIC | 14 | 5 mL | Small Vial * |
| – δ13C + δD + δ18O | 14 | 5 mL | Small Vial * |
| – δD + δ18O | 14 | 5 mL | Small Vial * |
| – δ17O | 14 | 5 mL | Small Vial * |
| – δ17O + δD + δ18O | 14 | 5 mL | Small Vial * |
| – Radiocarbon Analysis of DOC in Freshwater ** | 30 business days (1-20 samples in one batch) |
1 L | Amber glass or Brown Nalgene *** |
| – Radiocarbon Dating (Water DIC) ** | 2-14 (depending on AMS service selected) | 250 mL – 1 L | Nalgene bottles *** (more details found here) |
| Isobar Science Services (Beta Analytic subsidiary) | |||
| Boron analysis (δ11B) | Please contact info@isobarscience.com | 100 mL | Small-neck plastic bottle (HDPE, LDPE, PP) DO NOT use glass vials. |
| Lead (206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, 208Pb/204Pb, 208Pb/206Pb, and 207Pb/206Pb ratios) |
Please contact info@isobarscience.com | 125 mL | Small-neck plastic bottle (HDPE, LDPE, PP) DO NOT use glass vials. |
| Strontium (87Sr/86Sr ratio) | Please contact info@isobarscience.com | 125 mL | Small-neck plastic bottle (HDPE, LDPE, PP) DO NOT use glass vials. |
* Use a small plastic vial with no prior use and fill to the top with no headspace. Beta does not accept water samples for stable isotope analysis that still need to be pretreated (send filtered samples with no chemicals added). ** Water DIC – δ13C, δ18O, and δD analyses are included with radiocarbon dating at no additional cost. Freshwater DOC – Fees are inclusive of δ13C measurements. DOC extraction fee applies in addition to the standard price. *** Please DO NOT use glass bottles, recycled drinking water bottles, or other lightweight / low-density plastic bottles as they may allow isotopic effects to take place and bias the measurements, causing inaccuracies in the reported results. We accept no responsibility for the accuracy of testing results for samples submitted in collection bottles other than those specified. |
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Disclaimer: This video is hosted in a third-party site and may contain advertising.
This video excerpt is part of Beta Analytic’s webinar: Isotopes in Hydrology
How to Collect Groundwater Samples
Submittal – Please use this online form.
Before placing the water bottles in a sturdy cardboard box, please put them inside a plastic bag and seal the bag with a zip-tie or duct tape. If any of the bottles leak during shipment, the water will not weaken the box. Please use a box with sufficient packing to prevent breakage while in transit.
We recommend commercial courier or registered first-class mail when sending the samples to the lab. Please email the courier and tracking number so we can monitor your package.
When requesting for a formal estimate/quote, please indicate in this form the number of water samples for analysis and the billing details of the paying institution.
Sample Return Policy – We cannot return water samples.
Page last updated: March 2024
The isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) can only handle samples up to about 35 PSU (the standard salinity of seawater). The δ18O and δD values are not reported for hypersaline samples (35 PSU or more) and δ13C will only be reported if enough CO2 can be obtained from that sample.