An automated cryogenic charcoal trap system for helium isotope mass spectrometry
- Resource Type
- Authors
- W. J. Jenkins; D. E. Lott
- Source
- Review of Scientific Instruments. 55:1982-1988
- Subject
- Neon
Materials science
chemistry
Helium ionization detector
Analytical chemistry
chemistry.chemical_element
Seawater
Helium mass spectrometer
Cryogenics
Mass spectrometry
Instrumentation
Isotopes of helium
Helium
- Language
- ISSN
- 1089-7623
0034-6748
An automated seawater sample processing line employing a two‐stage activated charcoal trap system cooled by a closed‐cycle helium refrigerator is described. All dissolved gases except neon and helium are adsorbed on the first stage operating at 55 K with neon and helium quantitatively adsorbed on the second stage at 10 K. The second stage trap is heated to 40 K to release virtually 100% of the helium isotopes (3He, 4He) for mass spectrometer measurement followed by heating to 70 K to release the neon component. Performance data for helium isotope measurements on seawater samples and air standards [4He≊10−9 to 10−6 cm3 (STP) and 3He≊10−15 to 10−12 cm3 (STP)] are presented.