The Laboratory of Geochemical Microanalysis of IGG-CNR (Italy) provides
an integrated system of expertise, instrumental facilities and
analytical protocols, suitable to accurately determine both the
elemental and isotopic composition at tens-of-microns-scale (LAM & SIMS
& EMPA). It consists of laboratories located in the Pavia and Padova
units. The analytical skills of the IGG-CNR SS of Padova include a
Cameca SX 50 equipped with 4 Wave Dispersive Spectrometers (WDS) and one
Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), run under SAMx software. The
instrument allows quantitative chemical micro-analysis (scale: 1-10 μm)
of solid matrices to determine major constituents;
Research activity. Due to the strong analytical flexibility and the wide
variety of expertise, the associated analytical laboratory of IGG-Pavia
and Padova can provide an integrated multi-technique approach for the
investigation of the physicochemical processes in all natural and
synthetic systems which require the geochemical characterization of
mineral or inorganic phases, as well as the characterization of the
geochemical composition of glasses, melt inclusions and/or lavas while
considering spatial compositional heterogeneity at micro and/or
nano-scale.
Although many applications have been developed for issues related to
environmental sciences, human health, archaeometry (glass, ceramics,
bricks, alloys) and industrial materials (glasses, alloys), the lab has
a world-renown reputation for studies related to the Solid Earth
Sciences, including extraterrestrial materials, among which we remind:
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Characterization of the chemical/physical parameters that rule the
production, migration and emplacement of melts and fluids from
mantle and crustal levels up to the surface, in all the geodynamic
environments;
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Characterization of mineral/fluid chemical exchanges in reactive
processes;
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Quantification of mineral/liquid and mineral/mineral trace-element
partition coefficients in both natural and synthetic systems, as
well as characterization of their correct mechanisms of
incorporation in minerals;
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Detection and quantification of light, trace and volatile elements
in melt inclusions from volcanic materials;
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Quantification of H and volatile elements (F, Cl) on a wide range of
concentrations, in a variety of matrices;
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U-Pb geochronology of geological processes, from crystallization to
cooling;
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Models for melt/fluid partitioning of light, volatiles and trace
elements;
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Kinetics of cation ordering at controlled temperature;
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Geothermometry and geobarometry of minerals and rocks
