NanoSIMS 50L

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a surface analysis technique. It provides information about the lateral distribution of any element and its isotopes as well as a quantitative information about the isotopic composition of a sample. Using a well focused ion beam the sample surface is bombarded with primary ions and secondary ions sputtered from the sample are analysed in a mass spectrometer.

The Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology finished the installation of a NanoSIMS 50L in March 2008. The funding for the acquisition of this instrument was provided by the Innovation Fund of the Max Planck Society.

The NanoSIMS 50L is equipped with Cs+ and O- primary ion sources, an electron gun for analysis of insulating samples, a secondary electron detector, and a magnetic sector mass analyser with a large version of the magnet and a multi-collection system of 7 detectors all equipped with Faraday cups and electron multiplier detectors. This configuration allows us the possiblity of analysing any mass from helium to uranium as well as molecules and clusters of atoms.

The NanoSIMS 50L is a nanometer scale secondary ion mass spectrometer with both extremely high lateral resolution and high mass resolution. Because of a unique ion optic design, the primary ion beam can be focused to a very small spot down to less than 50nm beam size. The high mass resolution of the mass analyser allows the separation of the isotope (mass) of interest from interferencing isotopes and/or molecular clusters with very close masses.

For more information on the unique capabilities of the NanoSIMS 50L in environmental microbiology applications, please visit our project pages.

En­vir­on­mental mi­cro­bi­o­logy ap­plic­a­tions

LMD marking on a polycarbonate filter (image source: Lu Lu)
LMD marking on a polycarbonate filter. Laser is used to mark areas of interest on a sample prior to nanoSIMS analysis.

Prior to a nanoSIMS ana­lysis, fields of view con­tain­ing cells of in­terest are marked us­ing the laser mi­cro­dissec­tion mi­cro­scope (Leica LMD 6500). This fa­cil­it­ates sample ori­ent­a­tion dur­ing nanoSIMS ana­lysis.

The laser microdissection microscope (LMD) is equipped with vari­ous air ob­ject­ives (10x - 63x) and fluor­es­cent fil­ters (i.e. DAPI, Cy3, Cy5, Al­ex­a594) to identify, mark and cut out single cells us­ing a UV laser (wave length: 355 nm, pulse fre­quency: 80 Hz, pulse length: <4 ns, avg. pulse en­ergy 70 μJ). Imges of the marked areas are re­cor­ded us­ing a CC7000 color cam­era.

Methane uptake by aerobic methanotrophic gamma-proteobacteria from Lake Cadagno (from Milucka et al., 2015).
Methane uptake by aerobic methanotrophic gamma-proteobacteria from Lake Cadagno (from Milucka et al., 2015).

While ox­id­iz­ing meth­ane, aer­obic meth­an­o­trophic bac­teria also as­sim­il­ate meth­ane car­bon into their bio­mass. When in­cub­ated in the pres­ence of 13C-labeled meth­ane, active methanotrophic bacteria can be iden­ti­fied by their high cel­lu­lar 13C/12C ra­tios. In this case, a wa­ter column sample from a strat­i­fied Lake Cadagno was ana­lyzed. Ar­rows in­dic­ate gamma-pro­teo­bac­terial meth­an­o­trophs. Cor­res­pond­ing 13C/12C an 32S/12C nanoSIMS im­ages show as­sim­il­a­tion of 13C-la­belled meth­ane and the dis­tri­bu­tion of cell bio­mass, re­spect­ively.

Our cur­rent pro­jects in­volving nanoSIMS for study of meth­ane ox­id­a­tion can be found HERE.

Measuring Carbon (a) and Nitrogen (b) fixation from colonial Crocosphaera watsonii cells using NanoSIMS imaging. (Foster at al., 2013)
Carbon (left) and Nitrogen (right) fixation in colonial Crocosphaera watsonii cells using NanoSIMS imaging. (from Foster at al., 2013)

By re­cord­ing the 12C15N/12C14N and 13C/12C ra­tios of in­di­vidual cells, es­tim­ates of in­di­vidual single-cell carbon and N2 fixation rates can be made. Here, car­bon and N2 fix­a­tion rates of uni­cel­lu­lar Crocosphaera watsonii-like cy­anobac­terial cells from the sub­trop­ical North Pa­cific Gyre were meas­ured. These were one of the first dir­ect in situ activ­ity meas­ure­ments of these im­port­ant diazo­trophs.

Our cur­rent pro­jects in­volving nanoSIMS for study of ni­tro­gen fix­a­tion can be found HERE.

Con­tact In­form­a­tion

 
nanosims@mpi-bre­men.de

Scientist

Biogeochemistry Group

Sten Littmann

MPI for Marine Microbiology
Celsiusstr. 1
D-28359 Bremen
Germany

Room: 

3136

Phone: 

+49 421 2028-6720

Sten Littmann

                                                            

Technician

Biogeochemistry Group

Daniela Tienken

MPI for Marine Microbiology
Celsiusstr. 1
D-28359 Bremen
Germany

Room: 

3131

Phone: 

+49 421 2028-6402

Daniela Tienken

                                        

Ap­plic­a­tion forms

 

Pro­posal form for nanoSIMS ana­lysis

Ana­lyt­ical Ser­vice re­quest form

Policy for nanoSIMS ana­lysis

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