ICP-Tandem-Mass Spectrometer with Reaction Cell (ICP-MS/MS)

• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 438260277

Being one of the first installations in Europe in 1988 the ICP-MS Lab of the Marine Climate Research Group at Kiel Marine Science, Kiel University, invented numerous new methods for the multielement analysis down to ultra-trace levels. A focus is on direct solids micro-analysis by laser ablation. The lab has strong expertise in a wide field of applications through long-standing and interdisciplinary cooperation which is documented in a large number of international peer reviewed publications. Our current scientific problems both in marine (paleo-) climate research and (marine) geochemistry require the accurate analysis of very small samples needing ultra-trace detection power. The newly developed technology of "ICP tandem mass spectrometry with reaction cell (ICP-MS/MS)" offers innovative strategies to resolve the many problems with mass spectral and isobaric interferences as known from conventional ICP-MS. Now, geological ages can be determined using beta-decay series e.g., Rb-Sr, K-Ca. Mutual interferences of Mg, Sr, and Ca during in situ analysis of bio-carbonates (corals, microfossils, shells etc.), and many other interferences during rock and seawater analysis for our projects will be circumvented by gas phase reactions and mass shift or on-mass analysis, respectively. Extreme detection power and ultra-fast data acquisition will be used for the analysis of nanoparticles in hydrothermal fluids and natural water. The extreme abundance sensitivity of a tandem mass spectrometer allows for the accurate analysis of B-11 besides high C-12 signal, of Th-230 adjacent to high Th-232, of U-234 in presence of high U-235. The new ICP-MS/MS instrument is urgently requested as a replacement for our 19 years-old work-horse ICP-QMS that is now out of service for many years and without supply of spare parts.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: ICP-MS/MS Massenspektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
• Leader: Dr. Carl-Dieter Garbe-Schönberg