Acquisition of a High Resolution, Magnetic Sector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Facility for the University of Notre Dame.

EAR-0321161 Neal圣母大学四极电感耦合等离子体质谱仪已经运行了11年，在各种材料的痕量元素分析方面享有盛誉。这项提案要求提供资金来升级这一设施，购买高分辨率扇区磁场电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ELEMENT2)、213 nm激光消融装置、离子色谱仪、自动采样功能、低流量样品引入设备、双阿尔法光谱仪以及用于分析低水平放射性样品的ICP废气的HEPA过滤。新设施将由一名全职的大学聘用的实验室经理监督，该经理在电感耦合等离子体分析技术方面拥有超过15年的经验。新的设施将显著扩大印第安纳州圣母院和周边各州的研究能力。提出这一建议的理由是，正在进行的研究项目已经取得进展，现在所需的分析超出了四极电感耦合等离子体质谱仪的能力范围，266纳米激光消融装置不能给出准确的深度剖面(凹坑不是平底的)，小于~25微米的凹坑是不可能的，并且没有进行物种形成或“低流量”研究的能力。等待使用新设施的研究项目包括：富含吖系元素的放射性废物的稳定、放线与植物修复、地下水的化学输入、催化转化器造成的铂族元素(PGE)污染、月球演化、羽状玄武岩中的PGE、类地行星的后期单板研究、酸性矿山排水、地球微生物学、生物地球化学风化、重金属的生物可利用性、癌症研究、膳食补充剂/草药中的有毒金属、晶体地层学、西南部太平洋的构造热演化、高山盆地的元素迁移性和形态研究。新的设施将加强圣母大学新成立的环境分子科学研究所的外联工作，该研究所为高三学生启动了一个少数群体暑期研究项目，并为贫困学生启动了REU项目。相对较新的地球科学研究生课程(Est.(1994年)继续增长，重点是让研究生利用新的国际电感耦合等离子体质谱仪设施作为其研究的一部分。我们计划使用旧的四极电感耦合等离子体质谱仪作为本科生和研究生的教学设施。在2-3年内，我们希望扩大这一领域，使PQII成为理工科专业顶尖分析课程的基石。

EAR-0321161NealThe University of Notre Dame quadrupole ICP-MS has been in operation for 11 years and has developed a reputation for excellence in trace element analysis of a variety of materials. This proposal requests funds to upgrade this facility with the purchase a high-resolution magnetic sector field ICP-MS (ELEMENT2), a 213 nm laser ablation unit, an ion chromatograph, autosampling capabilities, a low flow sample introduction apparatus, a dual alpha spectrometer, and HEPA-filtration of the ICP exhaust so low-level radioactive samples can be analyzed. The new facility will be overseen by a full time, university employed laboratory manager already in place who has over 15 years of experience in ICP analytical techniques. The new facility will significantly expand the research capabilities at Notre Dame, in Indiana, and the surrounding states. The justification for this proposal is that research projects being conducted have progressed to the point where the analyses now required are beyond the capabilities of a quadrupole ICP-MS, the 266 nm laser ablation unit does not give accurate depth profiles (pits are not flat bottomed) and pits smaller than ~25 micrometers are not possible, and there is no capability for speciation or "low-flow" studies. Research projects waiting to use the new facility include Stabilization of Actinide-Rich Radioactive Waste, Phytoremediation of Actinides & Sc, Chemical Inputs to Groundwater, Platinum-Group Element (PGE) Pollution from Catalytic Converters, Lunar Evolution, PGEs in Plume-Derived Basalts, Late Veneer Studies of the Terrestrial Planets, Acid Mine Drainage, Geomicrobiology, Biogeochemical Weathering, Bioavailability of Heavy Metals, Cancer Research, Toxic Metals in Dietary Supplements/Herbal Medicines, Crystal Stratigraphy, Tectonothermal Evolution of the SW Pacific, Element Mobility in Alpine Basins, and Speciation Studies. The new facility will enhance the outreach efforts of the new Environmental Molecular Science Institute at Notre Dame, which has initiated a minority summer research program for high school juniors and a REU program for under-rep-resented students. The relatively new graduate program in the geosciences (est. 1994) continues to grow and emphasis is placed upon getting graduate students to make use of the new ICP-MS facility as part of their research. We plan to use the old quadrupole ICP-MS as a teaching facility for undergraduate and graduate students. Within 2-3 years, we hope to expand this to make the PQII the cornerstone of a capstone analytical course for science and engineering majors.