Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The present application is for the purchase of an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer to be coupled with an existing Elemental Analyzer and used in continuous gas-flow mode. Although the instrument may be used for a wide range of isotopic measurements for light elements (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and sulfur), it will be dedicated to the analysis of carbon and nitrogen content and isotopic composition (13C/12C and 15N/14N) in organic matter. Research activities and training fall into several scientific domains: marine geology, ecology, kinesiology, archaeology, limnology, environmental and soil sciences, ecotoxicology as well as forensic analysis. Major research projects concern investigations on marine sedimentary processes, carbon fluxes and burial in coastal and lacustrine sediments, ocean and climatic changes along Canadian margins and in the Arctic Ocean, the role of organic matter from soils in the transfer of pollutants into aquatic systems and groundwaters, the deciphering of contaminating nitrogen sources in recreational lakes, the paleodiets of early European settlers in Eastern Canada, etc. The instrument will replace a nearly similar one (dating from the first generation of continuous flow instruments) that has broken down in August 2010 and revealed impossible to repair. Over the last 12 years, an average of 5000 samples/year were analyzed using this instrument for the benefit of 25 researchers and about 70 graduate students from UQAM, McGill, University of Montreal, UQTR, INRS, UQAR, in particular. Moreover, several graduate or undergraduate courses have used this laboratory facility, year after year, for hands-on training of students. The replacement instrument is expected to provide analytical services and the training of highly qualified personal to a similarly large scientific community, in accordance with the policy of the GEOTOP research center, which will host the equipment, in its stable isotope laboratory, and will support the salaries of the technical staff assigned to this facility.