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High Spatial Resolution In Situ Fe Isotope Analysis by Laser Ablation Collision/Reaction Cell MC-ICP-MS: Application
Xianli Zeng1, Jun Cao2, Qi He1
1State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
None:
Iron (Fe) isotopes act as a powerful tracer in geological processes for analyzing terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials. Laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) is widely used for in situ Fe isotope analysis. However, its application is limited by argon (Ar)-based polyatomic isobaric interference and reduced sensitivity under high mass resolution, restricting investigations of intragrain variability and fine-grained extraterrestrial samples. Herein, the first femtosecond LA collision/reaction cell (CRC) MC-ICP-MS analysis for high spatial resolution of Fe isotope is reported. A hydrogen (H2)-helium (He) gas mixture in the CRC effectively suppressed Ar-based interferences, enabling accurate analysis of Fe isotopes in a low-resolution mode. Substitution of the conventional ultraviolet laser with a 1028 nm infrared laser significantly enhanced ablation rates, without compromising the stability of Fe isotope ratios. Optimization of the analytical conditions increased Fe isotope sensitivity by >50-fold than conventional LA-MC-ICP-MS, providing a strong foundation for high spatial resolution analysis. Replicated analyses were performed on six Fe-bearing materials (magnetite, ilmenite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, olivine and basalt glass) using the as-developed method with small beam spots of 8-15 μm in a single-spot mode. The measured δ56FeIRMM-014 values are consistent with reference values, with an external reproducibility of 0.09‰-0.15‰ (2SD). Compared with traditional Fe isotope microanalysis techniques, the proposed method improves spatial resolution of the analytical area by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The method was further applied to impact glass, ilmenite, and olivine samples collected by China's Chang'e-6 lunar missions, revealing significant intraparticle Fe isotope variability at micrometer scales, indicating the capability of LA-CRC-MC-ICP-MS to resolve Fe isotope heterogeneity in fine-grained samples with complex compositions. Thus, our method highlights its potential for high spatial resolution of isotopes in planetary samples.
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