Facilities of the OGU

Our two laboratories were refurbished in the summer of 2002, along with our offices and mass spectrometry facility, following a successful SRIF bid to the HEFCE. The labs have been specifically designed to facilitate biogeochemical research, from inital sample handling and preparation, through extraction and pre-fractionation of analytes to subsequent instrumental analysis. Facilities include temperature-controlled and clean rooms, a range of modern analytical laboratory equipment and extensive data processing and desktop publishing capabilities.

The technique of gas chromatography, is used extensively by our group for the separation of complex mixtures of volatile compounds. We currently have 10 gas chromatographs, which we use with a range of capillary columns to routinely characterise different samples. In addition, we have a preparative GC, enabling the automated isolation of individual components of mixtures. For less volatile compounds, we utilise high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Further characterisation of samples is carried out using chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Instruments housed within the OGU currently include: