Analytical Equipment
Inorganic Geochemistry Page 2
Some of our equipment is considered part of a regional pool. Investigators with legitimate research needs are invited to contact the Geology Department to learn what arrangements are necessary to use our facilities in their work. Cover "Department" in the navigation bar at the top of the page with your cursor, and then select "E-Mail Us" to compose and send an e-mail.
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Beckmann Spectraspan IV DC Plasma Spectophotometer
Here Guadalupe is preparing to analyze a sample on the DC plasma spectrophotometer. The instrument is an older model, but has recently received a complete overhaul and is in top condition. It is used primarily for the analysis of cations in liquids, most notably water, but there exist rarely-used methods for the analysis of major elements, selected trace elements, and many rare-earth elements, in rocks as well. The instrument is used in a way that generates data in finished form. A dedicated computer provides for data recording and output.
Jeol 733 SuperProbe
Now we've put Dave at the console of our electron microprobe. We are most grateful to the the BP-Amoco Corporation which donated this instrument to us when they moved some labs from the Chicago area. It is a wonderful addition to our department facilities. The instrument is used to analyze very small areas of sample, some 10 microns in size or smaller, in polished section. One can use it to look, for instance, at compositional zoning in minerals, or variations in mineral composition within an igneous intrusion.
Carlo Erba NA1500 Carbon/Nitrogen/Sulfur Analyzer, and EG&G Ortec Alpha Spectrometer
This instrument has been used primarily to
analyze carbon in sediments, both as calcite and as organic carbon,
in support of research into the oceanic carbon cycle. This is
an important field of study in that oceanic processes play a
large role in the regulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels,
and therefore in the greenhouse effect. It has also proven useful
in investigating the effects of different agricultural practices
on soils, and in determining how nitrogen moves between these
soils, the crops grown on them, and both the ground and surface
water regimes. Ph.D. student Qian Hui is shown at the C/N/S analyzer.
To the right of it, the much smaller brown instrument is the EG&G Ortec Alpha spectrometer, used to measure the activity of alpha-emitters, such as 210Pb, in recent sediments. These function as geochronometers and allow determination of the time elapsed since the sediments were deposited, to a maximum age of approximately 100 years. For example, the response of glaciers in Alaska to recent climate changes, as preserved in the sedimentary record, can be studied by means of this instrument.
Dr. Paul Loubere maintains both the Carlo Erba C/N/S analyzer and the EG&G Ortec Alpha spectrometer in his laboratory.
Micromeritics SediGraph 5000ET
We're with Dave Keating again, this time at the SediGraph. The instrument uses an X-ray beam to determine the particle-size distribution of sediment samples, and has the advantage of being much faster than the pipette method. Output is automated, removing the necessity for extensive hand calculations. The information gained is useful in classifying fine-grained sediments, and in helping to determine their environment of deposition and mode of origin. The SediGraph is kept in Dr. Ross Powell's lab.
Varian Saturn 3800 Gas Chromatograph and 2100 T Mass Spectrometer
This is actually two different analytical instruments hooked together. The gas chromatograph is used to separate organic molecules from one another, and the mass spectrometer is used as a detector to identify them. It is part of Dr. Melissa Lenczewski's organic geochemistry lab, and is used for the detection, or monitoring during clean-up, of such contaminants as pesticides, gasoline, and organic solvents. Ph.D. student Rosa Leal-Bautista is loading samples into the instrument for study. It is brand-new, and a tremendous addition to our Environmental Geosciences program.
For more information regarding how this instrument is integrated into a larger research program, see this article on our new Thermo-Finnigan DELTAplus Advantage mass spectrometer.
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This page was made by Neil Dickey. If you have questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me.
Last updated 08/28/06