Research infrastructure An instrument facility for biogeochemical analyses
Welcome to the instrument facility for biogeochemical analyses at the Chemical Biological Centre (KBC) and the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science (EMG)!
Svarttjärn, Västerbotten
ImageAnders JonssonBAF infrastructure holds instruments for the analysis of key chemical parameters in terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemical and ecological research and, as such, is of major interest to a large range of research groups. BAF acts as a core analytical facility for several major research projects run by researchers at EMG together with their collaborators and is open to other users at Umeå and other universities.
• Gas chromatograph
• Carbon analyzer
• Elemental analyzer
• Nutrient analyzer
• Fluorometer
• Respicond facility
• Flow cytometer
• Microbalance
• Inverted light microscopes
Instruments can be used after taking a course on how to use them, except for the nutrient analyzer, which is only run by Anders Jonsson. Introductions/courses to run instruments are given on request to Anders Jonsson.
Gas Chromatograph
Perkin Elmer, Clarus 500
This gas chromatograph is equipped with two detectors via two different injection sites. The detectors are an electron capture detector (ECD) and a flame injection detector (FID). There is a split less injection, and thus two injection sites. In the oven, there are two capillary colons. Both are Elite plot Q colons. The GC is also equipped with a Turbo matrix headspace sampler for 110 samples. Analyses typically run are detection of carbon dioxide, methane, ethylene, propane and nitrous oxide.
TOC analyzer
Formacs HT-I TOC/TN, Skalar
This carbon analyzer composes of an analytical compartment with an auto sampler with a capacity of 80 liquid samples, and a solid material combustion oven. Liquid samples for organic carbon are injected into a furnace with a temperature of >800°C, and the gas then passes a non-dispersive infrared detector (NDIR-detector). Solid samples can be combusted in a separate oven (up to 1100°C). Samples are then manually fed using crucibles into the oven. The gas is analyzed on the NDIR-detector on the analyzer. There is also a separate injection site for the analysis of inorganic carbon in liquid samples. Total nitrogen in water can also be measured at the same time as organic carbon. The TN is detected with a ND25-detector (chemiluminescent detector).
QuAAtro, Seal Analytical
A segmented flow analyzer equipped with an autosampler for 180 analyses. It is also equipped with an automatic on-line digestion of samples for total-element analyses. The analyzer is equipped for analyses for low concentrations of PO4-P, NO2+NO3-N, NH4-N, TN and TP.
Elemental analyzer
Unicube, Elementar
A solid sample analyzer for measuring the content of C/N/H/S in e.g. plant material, sediment, insects. The machine can also be used to analyze material caught on glass fiber filter. It can take up 45 mm filters. The samples are combusted at 1200 ºC and analyzed on a thermal conductivity detector (TCD). It is equipped with a sample carousel for up to 60 samples. It can take sample weights between 0.1 – 1 g, and a carbon content up to 14 mg (or 50 mg in C/N mode).
Perkin Elmer, LS-55
The appliance is equipped with a 1cm cell holder and a 96-well plate reader that can be fixed to the analyzer for automatic detection of samples. There is also an accessory for solid samples detection.
One 96-unit Respicond instruments
The Respicond measures the evolution of CO2 in soils, sediments or other matrices in incubation chambers with very high accuracy and time resolution. The temperature in the chambers is regulated in insulated water baths that allows for incubation studies at different temperature.
BD, FACSVerse
With this instrument, it is possible to measure and count particles smaller than 50 µm. It is equipped with a red and a blue laser (4 colours). It has a manual port as well as a sample rack with up to 40 samples. Typical applications have been counting of bacteria and phytoplankton.
Mettler Toledo XPR 6UD5
A microbalance with the capacity to weigh samples up to 6.1 g, a readability of 0.0005 mg and a minimum weight of 0.06 mg. It is equipped with an antistatic unit.
Inverted light microscopes
Two Nikon (Eclipse Ti, and Eclipse TE 2000) inverted light microscopes are available. The microscopes are equipped with objectives ranging from 40 - 1000 times magnification. They also have epifluorescent light capacity, and they are equipped with cameras. One microscope is with a Nikon DS-Fi3 camera (a highly capable colour camera), and the other is with a Hamamatsu ORCA-flash 4.0Lt plus camera (a highly light-sensitive camera capturing grey scale pictures). Cameras are controlled via computers and Nikon software.
All analyses performed within BAF must be acknowledged in any publication. Bibliographic information must be sent to Anders Jonsson for archiving purposes.
Dr. Anders Jonsson, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science (EMG)
E-mail: anders.jonsson@umu.se
Mobile: 070-2778659
For using the service and support from the Biogeochemical Analytical Facility (BAF) we take user fees.
