Collection of NO and NO2 for Isotopic Analysis of NOx Emissions

There have been several measurements made of the nitrogen isotopic composition of gaseous NOx (NOx = NO + NO2) from various emission sources, utilizing a wide variety of methods to collect the NOx in solution as nitrate or nitrite. However, previous collection techniques have not been verified for complete or efficient capture of NOx such that the isotopic composition of NOx remains unaltered during collection. Here, we present a method of collecting NOx (NO + NO2) in solution as nitrate to evaluate the nitrogen isotopic composition of the NOx (xi N-15-NOx). Using a 0.25 M KMnO4 and 0.5 M NaOH solution, quantitative NOx collection was achieved under a variety of conditions in laboratory and field settings, allowing for isotopic analysis without correcting for fractionations. The uncertainty across the entire analytic procedure is +/- 1.5 (1 sigma). With this method, a more robust inventory of NOx source isotopic composition is possible, which has implications for studies of air quality and acid deposition.