About

About_1

Who we are

IRMS facility is an open-access infrastructure in a newly renovated laboratory at the Department of Chemistry (Umeå University), which provides services for a wide range of time-resolved IRMS/TR-MIMS assays of various gaseous analytes and their isotopologues evolved by various sample types (for example, envinromental,  biological, geochemical, and medical samples).

What is Gas IRMS?

Gas IRMS measures relative abundance of gaseous analytes and their stable isotopes (isotopologues) after being ionized in the ion source of MS and separated from other gas ions or isotopologues in the mass analyser. In our IRMS instrument (DELTA V Plus, Thermo), gases are ionized by electron impact and are then separated according to their m/z ratios by a magnetic sector field. Such system allows simultaneous online collection of ion currents by an array of individual detectors (Faraday cups).    

IRMS scheme
TR-MIMS_basic

What is TR-MIMS?

TR-MIMS stands for time-resolved membrane-inlet mass spectrometry. The key part of the TR-MIMS setup is the analyte-inlet system with a semipermeable membrane that is integrated within a laboratory-build sample chamber. The membrane is not permeable for liquids and ions, but for gases. Thus, it separates the sample matrix from a high vacuum of MS and allows gases, but not liquids to enter the IRMS.

Our TR-MIMS setup

Our TR-MIMS setup comprises IRMS and various in-house sample inlets. Their usage depends on the tasks, state of analyzed sample (solid, liquid, or gaseous), and phase in which sample should be measured (liquid or gaseous). On its way from the sample inlet to IRMS, the analytes pass a cryogenic trap, which freezes out trace amounts of water vapor that accidentally may enter the system. Due to specific cup arrangement our IRMS allows simultaneous detection of up to 10 m/z signals.

TR-MIMS_setup
Advantages

Advantages?

  • Continuous online assays with time resolution of 7 s
  • Simultaneous monitoring up to 10 gaseous analytes
  • Assays in biological matrices
  • High sensitivity (e.g., up to 0.1 nM O2)
  • Assays of samples in solid, liquid, or gaseous states
  • Assays under ambient and anaerobic conditions
  • Liquid- and gas-phase assays
  • Minimal or no sample preparations/treatments

What can we measure?

Usually, we perform assays of the following gases and their stable isotopologues: H2, N2, NO, O2, Ar, N2O, and CO2. However, our instrumentation covers mass (m/z) range from 2 to 96 Daltons and, therefore, it is suited not only for online detection of other various gaseous reactants (such as CO, CH4, C2H2, HCN, H2S, SO2, etc.), but also volatile organic compounds.   

IRMS assays
About_2

What do we offer?

  • Experimental and analytical services
  • Design of experiments for various sample types
  • Preparation of samples suitable for the assays
  • Data analysis
  • Operator training
  • Access to instrumentation (upon training)
 
Our service (collaboration) can be varied from a seed (with a few samples) to a long-term projects.  

Let’s work together on your next research project

We are open for clients and collaborators

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