The acquisition of a specialized sulfur isotope mass-spectrometer, construction of a custom designed, semi-automated sample preparation-fluorination system, and support for early..

Harvard University, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

The inclusion of 33S and 36S measurements (in addition to the more traditionally measured 32S and 34S) greatly expanded our picture of early Earth environments. These measurements further allowed for the development of new isotopic fingerprints of specific atmospheric chemistries and biological processes. However, the advancement of this field has suffered from slow and time-intensive sample throughput, and as such, the applicability of these measurements to a wider range of Earth science related questions remains unresolved. In order to overcome these limitations, new technologies are required. This award will support modifications on a Thermo Scientific MAT 253 gas source mass-spectrometer, the construction and implementation of a semi-automated sample preparation-fluorination system, and salary for technical support. This system will provide higher throughput capability in addition to being semi-automated, allowing for less person-hours per sample. Modifications to the mass spectrometer will also allow for lower backgrounds and better precisions. Together, these changes will allow for the generation of larger, more precise data sets, which will in turn enable us to ask a suite of exciting new scientific questions. Among these, areas of active research include: deciphering the contribution of different microbial processes to an overall marine isotope record and using the minor sulfur isotopes as tracers in experimental (e.g., inorganic, microbial, and animal) and natural (e.g., heavy metal contaminated sites, microbial mats) systems.