Comparing the MAT 252 and Delta V Advantage mass spectrometers for stable O and C isotopes analyses. A case study from the lower part of the PCS sediment core (Lower Pleistocene, Calabria, Italy)

The Delta V Advantage and the much more expensive MAT 252 mass spectrometers are commonly employed worldwide for the analysis of “light” stable isotopes, such as carbon and oxygen. However, the consistency of the results produced by these instrumentations has been poorly tested, especially in the case of daily routinary use. We propose as case study a stable isotope analysis on benthic foraminiferal tests from the lower part of the PCS sedimentary core (Lower Pleistocene, Calabria, Italy), which was investigated in two separate occasions using the mass spectrometers mentioned above. In either case, samples were washed, sieved, and cleaned following identical procedures, which ensure consistency while performing the analyses. A continuous record for δ18O and δ13C was reconstructed using the Delta V Advantage mass spectrometer at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padova, which was compared to that obtained in 2010 by Reghellin for the very same stratigraphic interval using the MAT 252 mass spectrometer of the Department of Geology of the University of Stockholm (Sweden). We conclude that, despite the slightly different sampling resolution, the data obtained from both mass spectrometers offer fully comparable records. These results confirm that, when equipped with a well-performing Gasbench peripheral and operated by trained and competent personnel, the relatively cheap Delta V Advantage mass spectrometer is perfectly suited to yield highly detailed and dependable results, similar to those obtained by means of much more expensive and complex instrumentations.