Acquisition of a New Continuous-Flow Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometer and Two Elemental Analyzers for Support of the University of Southern California Stable Isotope Facility

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This award will provide funds to acquire a new stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), and two peripheral systems - an elemental analyzers for continuous flow applications of 15N/14N and 13C/12C isotopes and a high temperature pyrolysis system (TCEA) for analysis of D/H and 18O/16O analyses of organics - for the University of Southern California stable isotope facility. The new instrumentation will augment the labs analytical capabilities and improve overall analytical efficiency and minimize downtime. Eleven regular faculty and their students use the USC facility and, because it is an open-use laboratory, it is also serves to an educational facility. Students are trained to operate and maintain the instruments as well as being instructed in how to prepare samples for mass spectrometry. The laboratory employs several undergraduate work study students each year, and a number of these students have gone on to careers in environmental studies as a result of their experiences in the laboratory.