MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution Plasma Source Mass Spectrometer and Sample Introduction System for Multidisciplinary Geosciences Research and Education

自然水体、沉积物、空气尘埃、雨水和海洋微生物群的元素组成包含了对理解地球系统的运作及其过去和未来的轨迹至关重要的信息，这对人类社会具有根本的重要性。此外，进行和解释这种化学分析的能力是海洋和地球科学领域许多科学专业人员的教育和培训的重要组成部分。这种元素分析最常用的方法是等离子体质谱法，新一代的样品导入系统与高分辨率的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（HR-ICP-MS）相结合，可以在大范围的元素浓度范围内对各种天然物质进行常规的元素测定。该主要研究仪器奖将支持购买一个新的、最先进的HR-ICP-MS和专用样品导入系统，该系统将被安置在老道明大学海洋、地球和大气科学系（OEAS）。该设备是对已有16年历史的系统的必要替换和升级，是满足部门教师和研究生研究人员当前和未来研究需求的关键，同时也为OEAS博士后研究人员、研究生和本科生提供必要的培训和教育。新的分析设备将由一位在HR-ICP-MS分析方面经验丰富的专门研究专家维护和操作，并将接受新仪器和样品导入系统使用和维护方面的额外专门培训。

The elemental composition of natural waters, sediments, airborne dust, rainwater and marine microbiota contains information that is essential to an understanding the workings of Earth system, and its past and future trajectories, which are of fundamental importance to human society. Moreover, the ability to perform and interpret such chemical analyses is an essential part of the education and training of many scientific professionals within the field of ocean and earth sciences. Among the most commonly used methods for such elemental analyses is plasma source mass spectrometry, whereby a new generation of sample introduction systems coupled to a high-resolution inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HR-ICP-MS) allows routine elemental determinations in a wide variety of natural materials, over large ranges in elemental concentrations.This Major Research Instrumentation award will support the acquisition of a new, state-of-the-art HR-ICP-MS and dedicated sample introduction system, which will be housed in Old Dominion University's Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (OEAS). This equipment represents an essential replacement and upgrade of the 16-year-old system now in place, and is critically required to meet the current and future research demands of departmental faculty and graduate researchers, as well as provide essential training and education to OEAS postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate majors. The new analytical equipment will be maintained and operated by a dedicated research specialist who is highly experienced in HR-ICP-MS analysis, and who will receive additional specific training in the use and maintenance of the new instrument and sample introduction system.