Acquisition of a High-Resolution ICP-MS for the Archaeometry Laboratory at MURR

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，Michael Reichcock博士和Hector Neff博士将购买VG Axiom单收集器高分辨率ICP质谱仪系统和相关组件以及VG MicroProbe II激光消融系统。与实验室现在使用的INAA一样，电感耦合质谱仪能够对地质材料进行高灵敏度，高分辨率的多元素表征，包括玻璃，金属，岩石和陶瓷，这些材料通常是考古起源调查的重点。ICP-MS还允许直接测定同位素比值，这将进一步提高实验室的来源测定能力。自1988年以来，由Drs. Pastrocock和Neff领导的密苏里州大学考古实验室获得了NSF的资助，以补贴美国大学和研究机构的研究人员进行考古应用的INAA费用。这使得它能够与考古学家一起参与大约200个合作研究项目，并完成了对一系列考古材料的40 000多次中子活化分析。在此过程中，来自多个机构的80多名学生接受了培训，并获得了28个研究生学位。从考古遗址中确定材料的来源可以深入了解史前的流动性和贸易网络。根据这些信息，往往可以重建生存、经济和政治制度。因此，在世界许多地方使用来自多个时期的不同材料的考古学家都依赖于密苏里州实验室获取数据。ICP-MS提供了一种较便宜的痕量元素分析方法;另一个优点是能够确定同位素比率。有了ICP-MS，实验室提供的考古服务范围将扩大。

With National Science Foundation support Drs. Michael Glascock and Hector Neff will purchase a VG Axiom single collector high resolution ICP-Mass Spectrometer system and related components as well as a VG MicroProbe II laser ablation system. Like INAA which the laboratory now employs, inductively-coupled mass spectroscopy is capable of high-sensitivity, high-resolution multi-element characterization of geological materials including glass, metal, lithics and ceramics which are often the focus of archaeological provenance investigations. ICP-MS also permits the direct determination of isotope ratios which will further enhance the provenance determination capabilities of the laboratory.Since 1988 the University of Missouri Archaeometry Lab directed by Drs. Glascock and Neff has received NSF funding to subsidize the cost of INAA for archaeological applications by researchers at US universities and research institutes. This has allowed involvement in approximately 200 collaborative research projects with archaeologists and completion of over 40,000 neutron activation analyses of a range of archaeological materials. In the process over 80 students from multiple institutions have been trained and this has led to 28 graduate degrees. Provenience determination of materials from archaeological sites permits insight into prehistoric mobility and trade networks. On the basis of such information it is often possible to reconstruct subsistence, economic and political systems. Therefore a wide range of archeologists who work with different materials from multiple time periods in many parts of the world have relied on the Missouri laboratory for sourcing data. ICP-MS provides a less expensive approach to trace element analysis; an additional advantage is the ability to determine isotope ratios. With an ICP-MS the range of archaeological services provided by the laboratory will be increased.