Strontium has 4 isotopes, 84Sr, 86Sr, 87Sr and 88Sr. One of them is non-natural (87Sr) and is produced by the radioactive decay of 87Rb. In addition, elemental strontium behaves very similar to calcium. So we have two characteristics, age and chemical composition, that are helping scientists understand various processes on Earth. Besides applications in geosciences, strontium isotope ratios also are used in archeology, forensics and food authentication, where they provide a link to the land where food was grown or grazed.
Thorough laboratory work is required to extract strontium from a sample before it can be taken to the mass spectrometer for analysis. Classically, this has been done by digestion and purification using ion exchange methods, which is labor-intensive and requires a very clean environment to keep blank levels to a minimum.
What if you could reduce lab work and minimize sample preparation for your strontium isotope ratio analysis?
The new Thermo Scientific Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS can make this happen. The MS/MS option of the Neoma MC-ICP-MS consists of a patented hexapole collision-reaction cell with a novel pre-cell mass filter. The collision reaction cell allows for the separation of the isobaric interference of 87Rb+ from 87Sr+ using SF6 gas (Sr reacts with F, whereas Rb doesn’t), while the pre-cell mass filter allows a certain mass window to enter the collision-reaction cell thereby reducing the potential for spectral and matrix interferences.
The Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry has published the first paper on radiogenic Sr isotope ratio measurements with the Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS, demonstrating the potential of the new MS/MS technology for analyzing samples without the need for extensive sample preparation. The authors analyzed Sr isotope ratios in a series of geological reference materials and found both precision and accuracy to be equivalent to those obtained by MC-ICP-MS with prior Sr extraction and sample purification. Along with mass fractionation following exponential law, the new Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS opens the door to a wider suite of isotope applications while minimizing sample preparation.
Ready to break through the noise with the unique MS/MS technology?
Download our infographic to learn more about how the pre-cell mass filter works.
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