Laboratory
Nitrate and Microfossil N isotope analysis
"SigBench" coupled to MAT-253-Plus IRMS
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Clean Room
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Bacteria Lab
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NOx Box
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Nitrate and Microfossil N isotope analysis
"SigBench" coupled to MAT-253-Plus IRMS
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Clean Room
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Bacteria Lab
Add a News Article with a short summary and a link. You can also add a video for extra engagement. Be detailed and thorough to interest your readers, and include links to the original story online.
NOx Box
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Nanomolar-scale Nitrogen isotope Lab
"SigBench" coupled to MAT253-Plus IRMS
The “Sigbench” is an automated system for the extraction and purification of bacterially produced N2O for the analysis of Nitrogen and Oxygen isotopes by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Thermo MAT253 Plus). This system is used to perform nanomolar-scale high-precision measurements (within 0.1 ‰) of Nitrogen and Oxygen isotopes of nitrate and nitrite.
Clean Room
In this specially designed clean room organic N is oxidized to Nitrate using a basic solution of Potassium Peroxydisulfate. The low procedural blanks allow us to perform nanomolar-scale high precision measurement of the 15N/14N ratio of organic N in different sample types including microfossils (e.g. foraminifera, diatoms and corals), tooth enamel, speleothems, etc., using the denitrifier method.
Bacteria Lab
In this lab we grow, culture and harvest two strains of denitrifying bacteria (Pseudomonas chlororaphis and Pseudomonas aureofaciens) used for isotopic measurements. The “denitrifier method” allows for nanomolar-scale high precision measurement of the 15N/14N and 18O/16O composition of nitrate dissolved in natural waters and the 15N/14N of other N forms (e.g., organic N) that can be converted into nitrate.
"NOx Box"
The organic N content of different sample types is typically estimated prior to isotopic analysis by measuring the nitrate concentration after the organic matter oxidation step with Potassium Peroxydisulfate. The nitrate concentration is analyzed by reduction to nitric oxide using an acidic solution of vanadium(III) followed by chemiluminescence detection.
Biomarker Lab
GC-Isolink-II coupled to MAT253-plus IRMS
This Thermo GC-IRMS system is used to determine the relative ratio of stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H/1H), carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) in individual compounds (e.g. long-chain n-alkanes, fatty acids, alkenones, amino acids, etc.) of complex sample fractions or mixtures at natural abundance concentrations.
HPLC-Isolink coupled to Delta V IRMS
This Thermo LC-IRMS system is used to perform reproducible and accurate determinations of stable carbon isotope ratios of water-soluble organic compounds with substantially lower sample amounts than those required by conventional elemental analyzers.
GC-MS
This Agilent 7890B GC coupled to a 5977B single quadrupole mass spectrometer is used for the routine identification, characterization, and quantification of organic compounds used in paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic recconstructions
HPLC-MS
This Agilent 1260 HPLC coupled to a 6130 single quadrupole mass spectrometer is mainly dedicated to the analysis of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs). The degree of cyclization of these group of compounds produced by marine Thaumarchaeota can be used to reconstruct changes in the temperature of the ocean in the distant past.
GC-FID
This 7890B GC coupled to a Flame Ionization Detector is used for the routine quantification of know organic compounds used in for reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes
HPLC-DAD-ELSD with FC
This Agilent 1260 HPLC is coupled to a Diode Array Detector and an Evaporative Light Scattering Detector, as well as to a Fraction Collector. The system is used for the isolation of individual organic compounds for isotopic analysis
ASE 350
This Accelerated Solvent Extractor is used for the simultaneous extraction and chromatographic separation of organic compounds used in paleoenvironmental reconstructions from marine and lake sediments and soils.
Rocket Evaporator
This Automated Evaporation System is used to concentrate or dry large volumes of solvent for chromatographic analysis. The system is designed to maximize analyte and solvent recovery