Aquatic Chemistry Lab |
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| Dr. Amelia K. Ward, Director The Aquatic Chemistry Lab within the Center for Freshwater Studies was initiated in 1988 through funding from the National Science Foundation’s Biological Facilities Center competition. The following analytical capabilities are available to faculty and graduate students:
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The
QuikChem 8000 automates wet chemical analyses using the principle
of flow injection (FIA). Analytes available are nitrate, nitrite,
ammonia, ortho-phosphate, silica, and chloride. For N and
P, lowest levels of detection are 1-4 micrograms per liter.
Daily throughput is approximately 100 samples. The system
also has ion chromatography capability for F
The
Shimadzu TOC 5000 is capable of measuring carbon as CO
The
CHNS analyzer is designed to measure weight percentages of
C, N, H, or S. Particulate matter is combusted and elements
are measured as gases (CO
Two
3400 series gas chromatographs are available; one equipped
with a flame ionization detector (FID) and the other with
electron capture (ECD). These GC's have an inboard 4 method
storage with extensive self-diagnostic capability, dual injector
oven and dual ionization detector oven. The FID is auto-ignite
with excellent sensitivity and linearity. FID methods employed
will detect methane, acetylene, carbon dioxide and ethylene,
using a fused silica metal column.
The
Beckman LS 6500 Scintillation System is a bench-top liquid
scintillation counter designed to provide highly accurate,
automated counting of the single and dual-labeled samples.
The half-life and window settings for six isotopes (
Three measurement modes area available: fixed wavelength,
wavelength scan and kinetics/time. In fixed wavelength mode
data can be collected as either absorbance or transmittance
at up to 12 different wavelengths. Absorbance readings are
converted to concentration. Analyses can be automated using
either a sipper or batch sampler. Copyright © 2002 by Aquatic Biology at the University of Alabama. All Rights Reserved