1999 年 33 巻 2 号 p. 67-102
Negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (N-TIMS) has been recently developed as a precise and accurate method in mass spectrometry to determine isotope ratios of some elements, which cannot be measured by positive thermal ionization mass spectrometry (P-TIMS) easily. In N-TIMS, isotopic compositions of elements, such as halogens, chalcogens, boron and platinum group elements with high ionization potentials, are determined as negative atomic ions M-, oxide ions MOx- (x=1-4) or fluoride ions MFx- (x=4). Recent interesting developments in geochemistry is the determinations of rhenium-osmium systematics, redetermination of the relative atomic masses of elements by more precise and more accurate isotope ratio measurements, the determination of isotope variations in geological and cosmic samples and the analysis of trace and ultra-trace amounts of elements in the environment. In this paper, after theory and characteristics of N-TIMS are mentioned, some recent applications of N-TIMS is summarized in the field of geochemistry and environmental chemistry. Among recent topics, (1) application to rhenium-osmium systematics, (2) precise boron isotope analysis and its application to environmental chemistry, and (3) precise iron isotope analysis and its application to biological and medical use are described. Problems involved in N-TIMS are also discussed.
