One of the beneficial features of inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is its ability to measure multiple isotopes of the same element. This ability is useful in many analyses, primarily as confirmation of a correct answer (i.e. if two isotopes of the same element give the same result, the result is most likely correct) or the ability to select another analytical isotope, if an interf...

The isotope ratio Rb/Rb places constraints on models of the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements, but there is no precise determination of the ratio for material beyond the solar system. We report the first measurement of the interstellar Rb isotope ratio. Our measurement of the Rb i line at 7800 for the diffuse gas toward r Oph A yields Å a value of (1 j) that differs significantly from the meteo...

Entomophagy, or the act of eating insects, has been practiced since ancient times, but it started to gain more popularity, especially in Western countries, only recently. As sustainability is one current emerging themes, inclusion insects our diet a valid alternative that might help reduce amount water and land used for livestock associated emissions greenhouse gasses. Moreover, are source prot...

The concentration of atmospheric methane is strongly linked to variations in Earth’s climate. Currently, we can directly reconstruct the total atmospheric concentration of methane, but not individual terms of the methane cycle. Northern wetlands, dominated by Sphagnum, are an important contributor of atmospheric methane, and we seek to understand the methane cycle in these systems. We present a...

In intermediate energy heavy ion collisions, nuclear fragments are emitted from highly excited systems. Production of these particles appears to be dominated by their phase space, and can be described by statistical physics. Thus, temperature, a basic quantity in statistical physics, can be addressed experimentally. Two methods have been most commonly used to measure nuclear temperatures, both ...

BACKGROUND Epitestosterone is prohibited by sport authorities because its administration will lower the urinary testosterone/epitestosterone ratio, a marker of testosterone administration. A definitive method for detecting epitestosterone administration is needed. METHODS We developed a gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry method for measuring the delta(13)C values fo...