Measuring greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O is essential for understanding soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Gas chromatography (GC) is the standard method used in soil incubation studies due to its high accuracy. However, newer laser-based systems like the Picarro G2508 analyzer with the Sage autosampler offer continuous measurements, reduced maintenance, and lower operational costs.

We compared the performance of the Picarro-Sage system to a traditional GC by analyzing both standard gas mixtures and soil incubation samples. Gas samples were split between the two systems for direct comparison. Both systems achieved high precision, with less than 5% variation across most gases. The Picarro-Sage system provided particularly consistent results for methane and showed strong agreement with GC across all gases when concentrations were within the instrument’s dynamic range. Slightly higher variability was observed for CO₂ and N₂O at elevated concentrations, likely due to carryover or insufficient flushing between samples.

These results show that the Picarro G2508 with the Sage autosampler is a reliable, automated alternative to GC for soil GHG studies, especially when working with moderate gas concentrations. It simplifies workflow and enhances capacity for high-throughput, real-time soil gas monitoring.