Determination of Atomic Fractions of Isotopes Carbon-13 and Nitrogen-15 Directly in Glicine, L-Leucine, Isoleucine and Alanine

Abstract

Using compounds modified by the isotopes carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 helps conduct research in various fields of science, such as medicine, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, agriculture, and others. In the case of the availability of reliable, express, and cheap methods, the area of their use will gradually expand. A determination of the atomic fraction of the isotopes carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 directly in glycine, leucine, isoleucine, and alanine is proposed; the modification concerns all centers or one or more identical carbon and nitrogen centers separately, as well as both isotopes at the same time. There are defined mass lines of the mass spectrum of each amino acid, through which the isotopic content of carbon and nitrogen is calculated. The processes that must be taken into account for the determination of the isotopic content are also established. Isotopic analysis of these compounds until now was carried out by transforming them into carbon oxide, dioxide, and molecular nitrogen, and determination of their content in individual centers was impossible.