The isotopic composition of trace elements in the marine and terrestrial environment can provide a deeper understanding of the origin of natural materials (oceanic water masses, terrestrial sediments) and give insight into biogeochemical processes in the ocean.

For the high-precision measurement of isotope ratios of trace elements, the Max Planck Research Group for Marine Isotope Geochemistry at the ICBM has a ThermoScientific Neptune Plus Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS), which is equipped with a total of 9 Faraday detectors (8 of them mobile) and a Secondary Electron Multiplier (SEM) for the measurement of very low signal intensities.

The device is currently being used to measure stable and radiogenic isotopes of the elements Nd, Sr and Si in seawater and deep-sea sediments.

Further information can be found on the working group's website:

www.mpi-bremen.de/Instrumentation.html

http://www.mpi-bremen.de/AG_Marine_Isotopengeochemie.html