Instrumentation

Gas Source – Mass Spectrometry I (CHEM 0233) is equipped with ThermoFinnigan Delta Plus and MAT 253 mass spectrometers. This facility is supervised by James Farquhar. Funding for this laboratory was provided by NSF, NASA, ACS and the University of Maryland.

• The ThermoFinnigan MAT 253 is dedicated to simultaneous analysis of ³³S/³²S, ³⁴S/32S, and ³⁶S/³²S using sulfur hexafluoride as the analyte and an on-line fluorination manifold that can be used for Ni-tube fluorinations of silver sulfide, and CO₂ laser fluorination of sulfide minerals.
• Agilent HPLC with fluorescence detector, for analysis of sulfur intermediates and other liquid phase species.

Gas Source – Mass Spectrometry II (CHEM 1216) is equipped with four Micromass/Elementar Isoprime mass spectrometers. This facility is supervised by Jay Kaufman and Mike Evans.  Contact us about collaborative projects and/or for current availability and pricing for analyses using these systems.

• IsoPrime 1 is dedicated to dual inlet (DI) measurements, particularly for the automated analysis of large numbers of carbonate (C, O) and water (O, H) samples to high analytical accuracy and precision. The system includes an automated manifold device for the extraction and sequential measurement of gas samples prepared off-line.
• Isoprime 2 is equipped with a multicollector and is dedicated to continuous flow (CF) inlet systems coupled with high temperature combustion or reduction ovens for the automated isotopic analysis of organic matter (C, N, S, O, H), as well as mineral sulfates (S, O), sulfides (S), nitrates (N, O), and phosphates (O). Another peripheral that acts as a head space gas extractor will allow for the automated analysis of dissolved inorganic carbon (C) in water, as well as a back up device for additional carbonate and water samples typically run on the DI system.
• Isoprime 3 is coupled to a Costech Analytical High Temperature Generator and Elemental Combustion System, and is dedicated to continuous flow analysis of C and O on solid organics.
• Isoprime 4 is coupled to a customized high-throughput Elemental Multiflow carbonate and water autosampler, and is dedicated to CF analysis of C and O on carbonates and waters.