Thanks to funding made available through the Office of VP Research at UBCO we have been able to make a significant investment in new instrumentation in the form of  a triple quadrupole ICP-MS (Agilent 8900). This new instrument replaces our ageing and somewhat beleaguered single quadrupole ICP-MS and offers some exciting new research possibilities through utilization of tandem mass spec (ms/ms)  capabilities. 

This new 2nd generation 8900 ICP-QQQ offers a range of configurations to cover applications from routine analysis to advanced research and high performance materials analysis. Some advantages of the QQQ system include:

• Controlled reaction chemistry for consistent, reliable results
• Resolution of isobaric overlaps, beyond capability of high-resolution ICP-MS
• Lowest detection limits, even for previously difficult elements such as S, Si, P
• 4-channel cell gas control
• Unique precursor/product ion scan modes clarify reaction processes
• Monitor lower levels of ultra-trace contaminants in bulk chemicals and wafer processing baths
• Characterize nanoparticles in complex environmental, food and biological samples, even at the sub-50 nanometer scale
• Measure selenium, arsenic and arsenic speciation with better accuracy at lower levels
  

Sudip Shrestha has joined  FiLTER at UBCO as the facility coordinator specializing in SEM/EMPA.
Sudip studied at Tribhuvan University in Nepal where he obtained a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Geology and Geological Engineering.  Sudip then worked for Seven years as a professional geologist with the Government of Nepal before moving to Canada to undertake a doctorate at UBCO. Sudip's doctoral research focused on the Evolution of the Greater Himalayan thrust belt using geochemistry, thermobarometric and geochronologic constraints to decipher techtonomorphic evolution of metamorphic rocks.

Many people on campus will already be familiar with Sudip through his roles as teaching assistant and sessional instructor in the department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and through his work with the UBCO Students Union.

Welcome Sudip!