CO2‐Laser Extraction‐Static Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Ultra‐Low Concentrations of Nitrogen in Silicates

A new installation for the analysis of picomole quantities of nitrogen has been designed and constructed. It permits the simultaneous analysis of N and rare gases extracted from silicates by heating. The extraction procedure involves the use of a CO2laser as a heater, and the analysis is made by static mass spectrometry using a high sensitivity, high resolution mass spectrometer. Procedural blanks of 2 picomoles N2(60 picogram N) allow us to analyse routinely N in mg‐sized samples such as mantle‐derived and meteoritic minerals, and Lunar soil grains.