Web Release Date: February 16,
New Guidelines for 
13C Measurements
U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 20192, Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Beutenberg Campus, P.O. Box 100164, 07701 Jena, Germany, UFZ Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle GmbH, Labor für Stabile Isotope, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany, Isotope Hydrology Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, Centrum voor Isotopen Onderzoek (CIO), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands, Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mail Stop 8980, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mail Stop 8371, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
Received for review November 15, 2005. Accepted January 23, 2006.
Abstract:
Consistency of 13C measurements can be improved 39-47% by anchoring the 13C scale with two isotopic reference materials differing substantially in 13C/12C. It is
recommended that 13C values of both organic and
inorganic materials be measured and expressed relative
to VPDB (Vienna Peedee belemnite) on a scale normalized
by assigning consensus values of -46.6” to L-SVEC
lithium carbonate and +1.95” to NBS 19 calcium
carbonate. Uncertainties of other reference material values on this scale are improved by factors up to two or
more, and the values of some have been notably shifted:
the 13C of NBS 22 oil is -30.03”.
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