Pyrolysis-compound specific isotopic analysis (Py-CSIA), is a relatively novel technique to measure stable isotope proportions i.e., ¿13C, ¿15N and ¿2H, ¿18O in individual compounds released by pyrolysis. This technique can provide valuable information on materials that are not soluble and therefore not amenable by conventional GC/MS techniques. The technique provides not only a molecular fingerprinting, but also allows the traceability of their formation processes and origin. At the MOSS Group Stable Isotope Laboratories (LIE-MOSS), direct pyrolysis compound specific isotopic analysis (Py-CSIA) is conducted using a double-shot pyrolyzer (Frontier Laboratories, model 3030D) attached to a Trace Ultra GC system. The flux is conducted to a GC-Isolink System equipped with micro-furnaces for combustion (carbon and nitrogen) and for pyrolysis (hydrogen or oxygen). The system is coupled to a Delta V Advantage IRMS via a ConFlo IV universal interface unit (Py-GC-C/TC-IRMS) (Fig. 1a). The identification of specific peaks (structural information) are inferred by comparing the mass spectra from a conventional Py-GC/MS system with the Py-GC/FID and Py- GC/IRMS chromatograms obtained using same chromatographic conditions (Fig. 1b). In this communication the general technical aspects and fundamentals of Py-CSIA will be presented as well as some recent examples of applications developed in our laboratories at the LIE-MOSS in different fields, including the food industries [2] and synthetic polymer industries [1] industry, research on fire/heat affected soil organic matter [3] and biomass and paleoclimate studies using fossil plant materials [4]. [1] JA. González-Pérez et al., J. Chromatogr. A. 1388, pp. 236-243, 2015. [2] JA. González-Pérez et al., J. Sci. Food Agric. In press, 2015. [3] NT. Jiménez-Morillo et al. In: A. Aizpurua Insausti et al. (Eds). CONDEGRES VII. 68-69. Neiker (ISBN: 978-84-606-9409-0), 2015. [4] JA. González-Pérez et al. In: communication to this congress PYRO 2016.

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