With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Florida International University will purchase an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including 1) optimization of analysis protocols for materials such as glass and polymer surfaces; 2) applications of ICP-MS in the areas of trace elements and organometallics in biological and environmental systems; 3) characterization of sulfur sources in ore-forming systems; 4) in-situ measurement of uranium and lead in metamorphic and igneous zircons; and 5) measurement of major and trace element concentrations in minerals and natural glasses in igeous rocks.
Mass spectrometry (MS) is a technique used to probe intimate structural details and to obtain the molecular compositions of a vast array of organic, bioorganic, and organometallic molecules. This instrument will be used in advanced biochemistry and instrumental undergraduate courses as well as undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral research. In addition, these studies will have a significant impact in the earth sciences.
