Lab Facilities
The laboratory facility houses nine scientists' labs, a shared central analytical laboratory, and two field labs. The central analytical laboratory operates as an open-access or community laboratory for the nutrient analysis of plant, soil, and water using a total organic carbon analyzer; an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and graphite furnace; a carbon and nitrogen analyzer; and two flow injection analyzers. Graduate students and technicians learn the principles of sample analysis through instrument theory and calibration, sample handling, and data and instrument quality control.
Central Analytical Laboratory
The central analytical laboratory provides:
- consumable lab supplies (scintillation vials, centrifuge tubes, etc., and commonly used chemicals)
- safety supplies (lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, dust masks, etc.)
- hazardous waste disposal
- analytical gases (ultrapure air, helium, oxygen, acetylene, argon, and UHP/zero air)
- chemical standards
- instrument repairs (fume hood certification, DI system tanks and supplies, repairs of central lab and shared equipment)
Instruments
- Lachat QuikChem 8000 colorimetric analyzer [2]
- Perkin Elmer 5100 PC atomic absorption spectrophotometer
- Perkin Elmer 5100 ZL zeeman graphite furnace
- Thermo Electron Flash EA1112 CN Elemental Analyzer
- Shimadzu TOC-V carbon analyzer
- CEM MDS-2000 microwave digestor
- Barnstead/Thermolyne autoclave
Shared Equipment
- Blue M drying ovens [3]
- Wiley Mill grinders [2]
- Spex ball mill grinder [2]
Central analytical staff responsibilities:
- instrument method development and training
- data QA/QC
- laboratory safety program
- maintenance of shared and safety equipment, and lab building
Other Instruments and Equipment
- Shimadzu GC-14A gas chromatograph
- Shimadzu SPD-10A uv-vis detector
- Shimadzu LC-10AS liquid chromatograph
- Shimadzu UV-2101PC uv-vis scanning spectrophotometer
- Perchloric fume hood
- Agilent 6890/5973 series gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer