Our Laboratories

The Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab

This lab houses instrumentation for biogeochemical analyses of natural waters, including both freshwater and marine.  We use a Lachat Quickchem Series 8500 Flow-Injection Autoanalyzer for measuring dissolved nutrients.  We have the ability to analyze NO₂/NO_3, NH₃, PO₃^4-_, and total dissolved N and P (TN and TP, respectively). From this we can also calculate the concentrations of dissolved organic N and P (DON and DOP, respectively).  We also use a Shimadzu 5050 TOC analyzer for measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC).  Other instrumentation includes a Shimadzu Model GC-8 gas chromatograph for analysis of methane and other lower molecular weight hydrocarbon gases.

Shimadzu 5050 TOC analyzer

Lachat Quickchem Autoanalyzer

The Radiocarbon Lab

This lab is a designated space for the analysis of natural abundance of stable and radioactive isotopes.  We specialize in ¹⁴C and ¹³C extractions of both organic and inorganic forms of carbon from freshwater and marine samples.  Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is quantitatively oxidized to CO₂ by high-energy UV oxidation. Particulate organic carbon (POC) and sediment organic carbon (SOC) is oxidized to CO₂ by high-temperature sealed quartz tube combustion.  Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and solid-phase carbonates are acidified to CO₂. Using specialized vacuum distillation lines, the CO₂ derived from different sample types is cryogenically extracted and purified prior to ¹³C (by isotope ration mass spectrometry, IRMS) and/or ¹⁴C (by accelerator mass spectrometry, AMS) analyses. In conjunction with the OSU Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory, solid-phase samples are also routinely analyzed by elemental analysis-IRMS (EA-IRMS) for both ¹³C and ¹⁵N.

Vacuum distillation lines

Laminar Flow Hood