A US team has unveiled the Sapphire 1700, described as the world's first mass spectrometer able to measure all uranium and plutonium isotopes at once. Installed at PNNL in 2025 and built with Nu Instruments, it has nearly halved nuclear material analysis times and supports IAEA safeguards work.
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Illustrative image · Source: Interesting Engineering · The first-of-its-kind mass spectrometer that enhances nuclear material analysis. · Rights unverified · Reencoded as WebP with metadata removed. Display may be resized or cropped.
Researchers in the US have unveiled what is described as the world's first mass spectrometer capable of measuring all uranium and plutonium isotopes simultaneously at very low levels. The instrument, known as Sapphire 1700, was installed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2025 and was made together with Wales-based manufacturer Nu Instruments.
The device has 22 detectors, including 12 ion-counting detectors, and is described as the only spectrometer in the world able to measure all uranium and plutonium isotopes at once. It has nearly halved nuclear material analysis times while maintaining accurate results, according to the source.
Megan Nims, a chemist at PNNL, said the team has only scratched the surface of what the instrument can do. The Sapphire 1700 also supports the International Atomic Energy Agency in identifying potential misuse of nuclear materials and technologies.
PNNL chemist Tyler Schlieder said the team completed validation of 110 measurements in just over three months since the instrument has been in operation, and that the machine nearly halves analysis time without sacrificing accuracy. PNNL is one of 17 laboratories in the IAEA's network that tests environmental samples for signs of secret nuclear activity, and researchers expect demand for such analysis to increase as modular nuclear technologies become more widespread.
In July 2026, Schlieder presented the instrument at the Goldschmidt Conference, where it was selected for a keynote presentation. The research team aims to explore more uses and develop methods other labs could adopt. The project was backed by the National Nuclear Security Administration, while the US Department of State funded the instrument's acquisition.
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