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RSIL Home > Isotope Fractionation Project > Isotopic Reference Materials and Calibration

Reference Materials and Calibration Services

The Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) of the U.S. Geological Survey provides isotopic reference materials and calibrates user-supplied materials. Reference materials are suitable for use in calibration of analytical instrumentation, for testing analytical methodologies, and for use as quality control samples.

Isotopic Reference Materials and Calibration Services

Solid reference materials available from RSIL

To request Isotopic Reference Materials, the USGS FACILITY SERVICE/USER AGREEMENT needs to be filled out, signed, and transmitted to the RSIL. The signed agreement can either be scanned and saved as a pdf file and e-mailed to isotopes@usgs.gov or faxed to Jennifer Lorenz (secure fax number 703-648-5889). Generally, users only need to fill out this form for their first order. This form will be retained on file and can be used for subsequent orders.
Fill out the USGS RSIL Order Form and e-mail it to isotopes@usgs.gov or fax it to Jennifer Lorenz (secure fax number 703-648-5889).
After receiving the USGS FACILITY SERVICE/USER AGREEMENT and the USGS RSIL Order Form, an invoice will be sent to the customer, which is used by the customer to designate payment type. After payment information is received from the customer, both the payment and order are processed.
Solid isotopic reference materials can be shipped immediately after the required documents have been received and the payment has been processed.
The turnaround time for international distributed water references sealed in silver tubes is 1-3 weeks.
If UPW (user provided water) in silver tubes is required, the turnaround time is 1-2 weeks without calibration and 2-4 weeks with calibration. The user's samples should be sent to:

VSMOW reference materials available from RSIL

USGS--Isotope Laboratory
431 National Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20192
+1 (703) 648-5859

Prices for Isotopic Reference Materials and Calibration Services

ID #	Description of Material	Amount	Price	Comment	Report of Isotopic Composition
VSMOW (original reference water)	Set of 5 ampoules having 5 mL of water per ampoule	25 mL	$280	δ²H = 0 exactly δ¹⁸O = 0 exactly	VSMOW
USGS40	L-glutamic acid	2 g	$200	δ¹⁵N = —4.52 ‰ δ¹³C = —26.39 ‰	USGS40
USGS41	L-glutamic acid enriched in ¹³C & ¹⁵N	0.5 g	$150	δ¹⁵N = +47.57 ‰ δ¹³C = +37.63 ‰	USGS41
USGS42	Tibetan human hair powder (< 100 mesh)	0.5 g	$390	δ²H = —78.5 ‰ δ¹⁸O = +8.56 ‰ δ¹⁵N = +8.05 ‰ δ¹³C = —21.09 ‰ δ³⁴S = +7.84 ‰	USGS42
USGS43	Indian human hair powder (< 60 mesh)	0.5 g	$390	δ²H = —50.3 ‰ δ¹⁸O = +14.11 ‰ δ¹⁵N = +8.44 ‰ δ¹³C = —21.28 ‰ δ³⁴S = +10.46 ‰	USGS43
USGS45	Case of 144 ampoules having 4 mL of Biscayne Aquifer Drinking Water per ampoule	576 mL	$720	δ²H = —10.3 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —2.238 ‰	USGS45
USGS45	Case of 144 ampoules having 5 mL of Biscayne Aquifer Drinking Water per ampoule	720 mL	$760	δ²H = —10.3 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —2.238 ‰	USGS45
USGS46	Case of 144 ampoules having 4 mL of Ice Core Water per ampoule	576 mL	$720	δ²H = —235.8 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —29.80 ‰	USGS46
USGS46	Case of 144 ampoules having 5 mL of Ice Core Water per ampoule	720 mL	$760	δ²H = —235.8 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —29.80 ‰	USGS46
USGS47	Case of 144 ampoules having 5 mL of Lake Louise Drinking Water per ampoule	720 mL	$760	δ²H = —150.2 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —19.80 ‰	USGS47
USGS48	Case of 144 ampoules having 5 mL of Puerto Rico Precipitation per ampoule	720 mL	$760	δ²H = —2.0 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —2.224 ‰	USGS48
L-SVEC	lithium carbonate	0.5 g	$150	δ¹³C = —46.6 ‰	L-SVEC
NBS 22-0.15 uL	oil in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	δ²H = —116.9 ‰ δ¹³C = —30.03 ‰	NBS 22-0.15 uL
NBS 22-0.25 uL	oil in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	δ²H = —116.9 ‰ δ¹³C = —30.03 ‰	NBS 22-0.25 uL
VSMOW2-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	δ²H = 0 exactly δ¹⁸O = 0 exactly	VSMOW2-0.15 uL
VSMOW2-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	δ²H = 0 exactly δ¹⁸O = 0 exactly	VSMOW2-0.25 uL
SLAP2-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	δ²H = —427.5 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —55.5 ‰	SLAP2-0.15 uL
SLAP2-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	δ²H = —427.5 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —55.5 ‰	SLAP2-0.25 uL
GISP-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	δ²H = —190 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —24.8 ‰	GISP-0.15 uL
GISP-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	δ²H = —190 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —24.8 ‰	GISP-0.25 uL

ID #	Description of Material/Service	Amount	Price	Comment
UPW-0.15 uL	user provided water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	+ $40 setup charge for each
UPW-0.25 uL	user provided water in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	+ $40 setup charge for each
UL-0.15 uL	user provided liquid in silver tube, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	+ $40 setup charge for each
UL-0.25 uL	user provided liquid in silver tube, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	+ $40 setup charge for each
Cal-δ²H	calibration of user provided water for δ²H relative to VSMOW-SLAP	--	$480	--
Cal-δ¹⁸O	calibration of user provided water for δ¹⁸O relative to VSMOW-SLAP	--	$480	--
Cal-solid	On request	--	$100	--
Water_A-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —5 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —1.3 ‰, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	--
Water_A-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —5 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —1.3 ‰, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	--
Water_B-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —55 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —9 ‰, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	--
Water_B-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —55 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —9 ‰, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	--
Water_C-0.15 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —400 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —51 ‰, batch of 50	0.15 μL each	$100	--
Water_C-0.25 uL	water in silver tube, δ²H = about —400 ‰ and δ¹⁸O = about —51 ‰, batch of 50	0.25 μL each	$100	--
W-64444-S	Set of 8 ampoules having 7 mL of water per ampoule	56 mL	$98	δ²H = —399.1 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —51.14 ‰
W-67400-S	Set of 8 ampoules having 7 mL of water per ampoule	56 mL	$98	δ²H = +1.2 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —1.97 ‰
W-43156	Water, 40 mL in glass ampoule	40 mL	$55	δ²H = —112.8 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —14.42 ‰
W-32615	Water, 40 mL in glass ampoule	40 mL	$55	δ²H = —60.0 ‰ δ¹⁸O = —9.25 ‰
Other	On request	--	--	--

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