Finnish Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer and metal-free cleanroom facility (FINTIMS)

FINTIMS establishes a novel chemical fingerprinting technique not available in Finland and forms the basis of Cosmochemistry, Geosciences, Biosciences, Chemistry, Environmental and Food Science, Humanities and Medicine research and teaching in southern Finland.

It targets natural, environmental, biological and artefactual materials and allows analysing previously unexplored heavy isotopes (e.g., 43, 42Ca, 142Nd, 234U, Pu, Mo, Cr, Os) advancing Finnish science and education and boosting the local and regional research environment, i.e. in metal and water resource monitoring, green mining required for the green transition and carbon neutrality, and circular economy.

FINTIMS is focusing on the high-precision determination of heavy radiogenic isotopes at low element abundances and advances the scientific and education frontiers targeting small ion beam currents at deficient elemental levels (<100 pg).

At these low concentrations and limited sample material, the close spatial association with an ultraclean metal-free ultraclean chemical preparation environment is crucial to obtain accurate, meaningful analysis.

The isotopic material fingerprinting is of interest with a rising demand of high technology metals for a green transition and sustainable future.

Heavy isotopes also allow new fingerprinting approaches to be developed with industry to track material flows within the transition from fossil to bioeconomy. 

Archaeological materials commonly have a large societal impact involving topics such as migration, climate and environmental change and isotopes drastically improve the traceability of human migration from Holocene to Anthropocene.

This includes dealing with the long-term effects of climatic and environmental challenges and addresses the causes of societal collapses after climatic short- and long-term events. FINTIMS thus has a large societal impact to understand human history – and future.

FINTIMS provides isotope analytical services to a wide range of users extending the existing facilities available (e.g., at UH).

The involvement of fundamental and governmental research institutions in the consortium warrants a strong, interdisciplinary future academic and non-academic userbase. Linking the FINTIMS consortium with multidisciplinary networks such as HELSUS, INAR, the Digital Humanities and ‘Mind and Matter’ initiatives and with existing (SITRA, EPOS, IODP, ICDP, FINBIF, FIN-MARI, Metrofood) roadmaps further expands the user base.