Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Earth, ocean, environmental and chemical sciences are highly dependent on using the composition of materials (solids and liquids) to understand process operating at many different scales. Whether we are tracking contaminants through the environment, understand the formation of ore deposits or quantifying the role of nutrient limitation in oceanic regulation of the concentration of atmospheric gases (e.g. CO2), determining the composition of the materials involved is a very powerful tool. The technique of choice for trace element analysis of Earth materials has become Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) over the last 25 years. Whether used to directly analyse fluids, or dissolved solids, or in conjunction with a laser ablation system to directly analyse solids these instruments have revolutionized the rapid, precise and accurate analysis of earth materials. The new generation of ICP-MS instruments takes the capabilities of these instruments to another level by including two, rather than one, mass analyser. This effectively opens up a whole new spectrum of analyses to the scientific community that have hitherto been either impossible or impractical. Routine analysis allows determination of the abundance of most elements in the periodic table with detection limits typically in the parts per trillion range or lower levels. This proposal is for partial funding for such an instrument. Its installation will allow a wide range of research programs to be supported both within the earth, ocean and environmental sciences and also within other disciplines such as biology, biochemistry and chemistry.<br>