About

The inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology enables the measurement of ultratrace abundance levels of a large array of elements, which combined with laser ablation (LA) sampling, yields chemical analyses with micron-scale spatial resolution.  Thus, LA-ICP-MS constitutes the single most sensitive microanalytical technique currently available.

The facility was established with the support of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, who provided funds for the purchase of the Thermo Scientific iCAP Q ICP-MS, affording accurate elemental analysis at concentrations to the nanogram/gram abundance level.  Funding from a NSERC Research Tools and Infrastructure Grant allowed the acquisition of the laser ablation microprobe, completing the LA-ICPMS system. 

The Dahousie University Laser Ablation ICP-MS Laboratory is available to the academic and industrial research communities on a fee for use basis.  A main focus of the laboratory is user training, and we encourage individuals to acquire their own data, and be involved in further development of instrument applications.  However, we are receptive to projects that could be done on a contractual basis involving data acquisition involving one of our trained operators.