This facility is a Class 10,000 clean room for the purpose of trace element analyses. Sample preparation areas are protected by HEPA-filtered laminar flow systems, providing Class 100 conditions to minimize contamination when handling and preparing samples. Multiple high-performance analytical instruments for analysis of trace elements, trace element speciation, non-traditional stable isotope ratios and trace emerging contaminants. Instruments housed within the clean room include: an inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and a quadrupole ICP mass spectrometer (Q-ICP-MS) for quantification of dissolved constituents; a high-resolution ICP-MS (HR-ICP-MS) for trace metal analyses; a multi-collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS) for non-traditional stable isotope analysis; a high-performance liquid chromatography - liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (HPLC-LCMS) for perchlorate analysis; an ion chromatography system (IC) for metalloid speciation (arsenic and selenium); a total mercury analyzer; and a laser ablation system.
Instruments
Orbitrap Ascend Tribrid Mass Spectometer
- A high-resolution mass analyzer that traps ions in an electrostatic field, enabling precise measurement of their mass-to-charge ratios.
- Offers high sensitivity, throughput, and versatility for complex analyses of small molecules.
- Features multiplexed quantitative proteomics and native protein characterization capabilities.
- Increasingly used in environmental analysis to detect pollutants and contaminants such as PFAS.
- Enables precise structural characterization of speciated compounds, such as arsenic.
Thermo iCAP 6500 Duo ICP-OES
- rapid, stable analysis of major elements
- high performance CID detector, wavelength range of 166 – 847 nm
- improved detection limit resulting from radial and axial viewing positions
Thermo XSeries 2 Q-ICP-MS
- quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer with Collision Cell Technology
- trace level elemental analysis
- simultaneous analog/PC detector provides >8 orders of dynamic range
- Peltier cooler for increased sensitivity
Thermo Element 2 HR-ICP-MS
- double focusing magnetic sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
- multi-elemental detector with the speed to handle transient signals
- high-resolution mode to eliminate polyatomic interferences
- ESI PC3 Peltier cooler for increased sensitivity
Thermo Neptune MC-ICP-MS
high-performance multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer- capable of high-precision isotope ratio analysis from Li to U
- moveable Faraday cup array for simultaneous measurement of up to 9 isotopes, flat-top peaks for maximum precision
- ESI apex Q desolvating nebulizer for high sensitivity and low background
- CETAC HGX-200 hydride generation and cold vapour system for analysis of Se and Hg isotopes
Photon Machines Analyte.193 Laser Ablation System
- 193 nm ultra-short ATLex 300si excimer laser
- < 4ns pulse length, 1-300 Hz repetition rate
- live sample map for rapid navigation of samples
- integration with Element 2 ICP-MS or Neptune MC-ICP-MS for elemental analysis of solid samples
Dionex ICS-3000
- Reagent-Free Ion Chromatography (RFIC) system
- AS autosampler handles both simultaneous and sequential injection, and automated dilutions
- reproducible and accurate results (RSDs < 0.3%)
- analysis of arsenic and selenium speciation
Total Mercury Analyser
- Automated Tekran 2600 Mercury Analysis System
- Fully-integrated cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer (CVAFS)
- Most stable, sensitive, ultra-trace mercury analyzer available today (MDL <0.05 ng L-1)
- Allows total mercury analysis in laboratory prepared environmental samples
- Capable of interfacing to MC-ICP-MS to yield isotopic ratios for mercury
Sample preparation facilities
Auto-diluters
Laminar Flow Hoods
- Laminar flow provides Class 100 air quality on lab bench
- HEPA-filtered laminar flow fume hoods
- HEPA-filtered laminar flow drying hood
MilliQ water system
Vacuum Manifold
- Vacuum manifold setup for ion exchange purification of samples for metal isotope analysis
Savillex still
- Savillex still for in-house purification of concentrated hydrochloric acid