What is it about?
Advances in thermal ionisation mass spectrometry, plasma source mass spectrometry and laser ablation sampling, secondary ion mass spectrometry, focused ion beam techniques, instrumental neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, electron backscatter diffraction, accelerator-based methods, and reference materials.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
We review developments and innovations in key analytical methods published since January 2014, relevant to the chemical, isotopic and crystallographic characterisation of geological and environmental materials.
Perspectives
We surveyed the isotopic systems that were measured in geological materials by ICP-MS as solutions and by LA over the past 3 years. The survey demonstrates the broad element coverage of isotope ratio analysis by ICPMS, as many had envisioned, and provides a reference for researchers seeking to understand where new method development might be most useful. It also shows that mass bias correction procedures and measurement precision are well defined and clearly documented in these studies. In contrast, a survey of radioactive isotope systems suggests that there is little consensus on which RMs should be used for external calibrations for particular geochronology methods, and even whether matrix matching of calibration (reference) materials and unknowns is necessary for some or all methods.
Paul Sylvester
Texas Tech University System
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: GGR Biennial Critical Review: Analytical Developments Since 2014, Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, December 2017, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/ggr.12200.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
