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Rates

This lab operates as a facility (cost center) that is financially supported primarily through user fees. Expenses such as salaries and benefits, expendables (argon, torches, cones, etc.) and repairs are all charges that must be covered by user fees.

For 2024 the fees, including WHOI F&A of 65.15% are:

We have a benchtop quadrupole iCAP Qc in the facility that can now be used by all users. We are charging $401.32 for a startup fee plus $80.92 for an hourly rate, which starts as soon as the instrument is turned on. This instrument is ideal to "make just a few measurements".

The Neptune will have the same $401.32 startup fee plus a $100.74 hourly rate.

Either of these instruments may be used with our LASER which has the same $401.31 startup fee plus an $19.82 hourly rate.

We also have an ICP-OES instrument and the rates for that will be the same as those for the iCAP above.

Adjustment of rates:  We reserve the right to change rates during the year in case expenses increase unexpetedly. WHOI's overhead rate also sometimes changes mid year. Any rate changes will be posted on this website.

How Billing Works

Within WHOI, each day*of analyses on either the Element2 or the Neptune must have a valid WHOI project number to cover charges.  At the end of every month, we submit a balance sheet to accounting listing the project numbers used for that month.

  • *A day starts with the technical staff setting up the mass spec and ends the following morning when the instrument is being prepared for the next user.
  • Users signing up for a day commit to using the facility that day.  Facility staff needs to be informed of cancellations as early as possible, but at least two days in advance.  Any later cancellation may result in a charge of one unit (day) unless another user can use the instrument that day.

Guidelines For Projects Outside of WHOI

  • Obtain an estimate from Jurek or Gretchen for amount of time needed to accomplish the analytical goal. We will arrange for a quote to be sent to your institution, along with a "Payment Authorization Information Form" (PAI), which must be completed in full and returned to us so that we can set up a project # to incur the costs. Please note, you will not be invoiced until completion of the project.
  • Please do acknowledge the use of the WHOI ICPMS Facility in your publications and presentations.  The U.S. National Science Foundation and WHOI are supporting the facility financially, and our skilled operators appreciate seeing their contributions acknowledged.  We therefore recommend the following sentence for the "Acknowlegements" section of your publications:
  • "We acknowledge the use of the NSF-supported WHOI ICPMS facility and thank [Gretchen Swarr, Jerzy Blusztajn] for their assistance"

Neptune Sign-up Rules

  • Fridays will usually be maintenance days or used preferentially for work extending into the weekend. Users, with appropriate training, desiring a Friday for work extending into the weekend must sign up not later than 2 weeks before the Friday. If not assigned during a period less than 2 weeks before the Friday, the day may be designated for single day usage.
  • Up to three consecutive days per month will be assigned for core analyses. Core analyses are defined as those for which the Neptune was initially obtained and are solution analyses of Sr, Nd, Pb, U and Th. Users of these days are encouraged to prescreen their samples on the Element2 or iCAP Qc as much as possible for concentration and matrix adjustment and to coordinate usage with Jurek. Sign up for these days is on a first come-first serve basis.
  • A user group (defined inclusively as PI, post docs, graduate students, internal and external collaborators) may sign up for one 4-day consecutive session per month. Periods of less than 4 days are not regulated with regard to frequency of sign-up by any individual or group but good faith, non-exclusionary use is encouraged. 4-day periods that include Friday and weekend use are permitted.
  • Use of Neptune by independent outside investigators will be decided on a case-by-case basis dependent on instrument availability. Please contact Jurek for details.
  • Monthly Plasma Facility Steering Committee meetings will be held to fix the schedule up to 2 months ahead. Potential clients should send Jurek their "wish lists" for consideration at these meetings.
  • Users will endeavor to reasonably assist others in need of analyses on short notice.