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Biogeochemistry Laboratory
The
laboratory is in the Faculty of Environmental and Forest Biology (Illick Hall,
rooms 211-214 and room 219) and supports research on the biogeochemistry of a
variety of systems, but particular attention is focused on forests and surface
waters. The laboratory has the potential to perform a wide range of soil,
vegetation and water chemistry analyses commonly associated with elemental
cycling research. Equipment includes chemical instrumentation for quantifying
different analyte concentrations, drying ovens, incubators, balances, a muffle
furnace, a filtering apparatus, vacuum hoods, sampling devices, a water
purification system, PC's and printers.
A Dionex DX-120 Ion Chromatographic (IC) is available for quantification of
anions in water or soil samples. The IC is computer-controlled using Dionex's
PeakNet software. Additionally, the IC has the potential to be fitted with a
cation column in order to measure cation concentrations. However, cation
concentrations are presently measured using a Perkin-Elmer DIV 3300 inductively
coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer, located in the Jahn Chemistry
Building, maintained by the Analytical and Technical Services at SUNY - ESF. A
Bran+Luebbe Autoanalyzer 3 is dedicated to ammonium (indophenol blue method) and
total nitrogen (persulfate digestion method) analyses. This instrument is also
computer-controlled. It has the potential to perform total phosphorus and many
other chemical methods with the use of two multitest manifolds. Dissolved
organic carbon is measured using a Tekmar Phoenix 8000 Carbon Analyzer, which
can also quantify dissolved inorganic carbon and total carbon. This instrument
is also computer-controlled. Other laboratory instruments include: a Hewlett
Packard 5890 Series II Gas Chromatograph for doing trace gas analyses, a Corning
Ion Analyzer 250 (pH) and a Virtis Advantage freeze drier
Solid samples (soil and vegetation), excluding liquid extractions, may be
analyzed for total percent sulfur content, performed on the LECO Sulfur
Determinator. Total percent carbon, hydrogen’ nitrogen and sulfur for solid
samples can be measured using the Thermo Electron Corporation, EA1112 elemental
analyzer. Ammonium and nitrate are extracted from solid samples with potassium
chloride, and then analyzed using the Bran+Luebbe Autoanalyzer 3. Phosphate
extractable sulfate is quantified using the Dionex DX-120 Ion Chromatograph.
Total Alkalinity is measured by acid titration.
Patrick J. McHale (Instructional Support Specialist) is the laboratory
manager, responsible for equipment operation and maintenance, laboratory safety
and supervision of laboratory personnel. Laboratory staff also include: David
Lyons (Research Support Specialist) and Joyce Green (Research Support
Specialist).
The laboratory is supervised by Myron J. Mitchell (Professor and Director of
Council on Hydrologic Systems Science). For further information on the
laboratory and interest in collaboration with biogeochemical research, contact
Patrick J. McHale at (315) 470-6738 or
Myron J. Mitchell at (315) 470-6765.
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