Acquisition of a Quadrupole ICP Mass Spectrometer for the Department of Geological Sciences and Marine Science Program at the University of South Carolina

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0236481YogodzinskiThis grant provides support for the acquisition of a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (QICPMS), to be housed in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of South Carolina. This project is a collaborative effort among faculty from the Department of Geological Sciences, the interdisciplinary Marine Science Program, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The instrumentation will be used for research in the diverse fields of igneous processes, chemical oceanography, paleoclimate, and hydrogeology. The broad goal of this acquisition is to expand the trace element and isotope tracer research capabilities of the Department of Geological Sciences, and to help build a critical mass of faculty and students that are interesting in conducting this kind of research at the University of South Carolina. The requested funds reflect 70% of the cost of the instrumentation (QICPMS with collision cell) plus three months of technician support and one month of PI salary. The cost of the instrumentation includes factory and on-site training by the manufacturer, as well as two years of service and maintenance beyond the initial one-year warranty. All faculty involved in this project involve both graduate and undergraduate students in their research. The interdepartmental and interdisciplinary nature of this project provides a significant opportunity to transfer analytical expertise to geology faculty and students from the chemistry department, and at the same time, create collaborative opportunities for chemistry faculty and students in the earth and ocean sciences. In addition to the abundant and diverse research applications that provide the primary justification for funding this project, use of the proposed instrumentation will also be integrated into the geology curriculum through some 300 and 500-level courses in geology and oceanography.***