Abstract:
Detailed investigations on how to choose the optimal double-spike and the optimal mixture ratios of the two single spikes in the double-spike, as well as on how to determinate the optimal sample/spike ratio range during measurement of calcium isotopic compositions by thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS), were carefully carried out in both theory and practices. Compared to the
42Ca-
48Ca and
43Ca-
48Ca double-spikes, which are used widely,
42Ca-
43Ca double-spike has its distinctive advantages. Firstly, although the error on the fractionation factor
α is relatively bigger when using
42Ca-
43Ca double-spike, but it only fluctuates a little at a much wide range of sample/spike ratio in spiked samples than using the
42Ca-
48Ca or
43Ca-
48Ca. Secondly, the average mass of the two isotopes in
42Ca-
43Ca double-spike and target
44Ca/
40Ca ratio, only differs by 0.5 mass unit from each other, thus errors in the corrected ratio resulted from fractionation correction will be minimized, especially when a lower amount of sample was loaded and/or the large fractionation on the instrument occurred during mass determination. Finally,
42Ca and
43Ca can be simultaneously collected by TIMS without significant ion optic effect, which can enhance the data quality collected. In summary,
42Ca-
43Ca double-spike should be the optimal one to be used in the double-spike technique for precisely measuring calcium isotopic compositions by TIMS.