Geochronology and Isotope Geochemistry

Infrastructures
Research areas
  • Physical Sciences
Contact

Scientific-Technical Head of Service: Dr. Jose Ignacio Gil Ibarguchi Dpt. of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa,
 Telephone: 94 601 2641, Fax: 94 601 3500 e-mail: josei.gil@ehu.esTechnicianDr. Javier Rodríguez Aller Telephone: 94 601 3576 e-mail: javier.rodrigueza@ehu.esDra. Maria Eugenia Sanchez Lorda Telephone: 94 601 5075 e-mail: mariaeugenia.sanchez@ehu.eus

Available for external users?
Yes
Access protocol

Access to the unit of Geochronology and Isotope Geochemistry involves meeting the requirements set forth in the Protocol for access to SGIker and the services it provides.

Description

The Service carries out elemental and isotopic analyses of natural and synthetic products for the research community at the University, companies and public and private institutions. The main fields of application of the analyses carried out are, among others: - Radiometric dating and geochemical studies of rocks, minerals and similar materials. - Control of contaminants and environmental toxicology. - Studies of climate change and variations in chemical composition of water, atmosphere, sediments, etc., with time.

Services

- Isotopic and elemental analysis of major and trace to ultratrace elements (including REE, HFSE). - Rb, Sr, Sm, Nd, U, Pb, Lu and Hf isotopic analysis for radiometric studies or as tracers in rocks, minerals, metal ores, archaeological alloys, fossils, hypersalinated and fresh water, rock wool, dregs, filters (PM10, PM2.5) bone remains, teeth, etc. - Training by means of specific courses. Support for various degrees and Master’s degrees.

Location

University of the basque country UPV/EHU Science and Technology Faculty CD3 Building Bº Sarriena, s/n 48940 Leioa (Vizcaya)

Other info

The Service carries out elemental, isotopic and speciation quantitative analyses for application mainly in research fields of Geology, Archeometry, Anthropology, Environment, Biomedicine and Materials Science. Work carried out - Analyses of major elements and traces are carried out by prior appointment (including REE and HFSE). - Addition to determinations of anions (F-, Cl-, NO2-, Br-, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-), cations (NH4+, …). -Elemental speciation (As, Cr, Se). -Measurements of Sr, Sm, Nd, U, Pb, Lu and Hf isotopes in dissolved samples, or elemental and isotopic microanalysis of solid samples, all of them for radiometric dating purposes or as geochemical tracers in a wide variety of materials such as rocks, minerals, alloys, ceramics and glasses, archaeological remnants, fossils, waters, rock wool, slag, filters (PM10, PM2.5; Figure 3), bones, teeth, etc. Other equipment Metrohm 761 Compact Ion chromatograph for the analysis of anions and cations with chemical suppression and Metrohm 838 sample processer with on line ultra-filtration. Crushing, grinding and mineral separation equipment (crushing machines, disc and ring mills, Wilfley table, dense liquids, magnetic separators, abrasion, etc.). Metal-free clean room for sample treatment (PP laminar flow cabins, weighing, dissolution, sub-boiling distillation in quartz and Teflon, ion chromatography, etc.). Equipment (Fluxy and Katanax K1) for automatic fusion-dissolution of solid samples.

Equipment

Equipped with 8 Faraday cups, optical pyrometer, secondary electron multiplier and RPQ filter, with electronics and software updated by Spectromat.
TIMS Finnigan MAT262
Equipped with 9 Faraday cups, 8 ion counters and 1 SEM, optional interphase for dry plasma and double desolvation (Apex+Spiro).
MC-ICP-MS Neptune
With collision cell, FAST system for sample uptake, gas dilution and ion exchange kits for speciation (As, Se, Cr)
Optima 8300
With collision cell, FAST system for sample uptake, gas dilution and ion exchange kits for speciation (As, Se, Cr)
XSeries 2