Facilities and Equipment

The Marine Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (MECLab)

https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/research/facilities-and-equipment/marine-environmental-chemistry-laboratory.aspx

ANALYTICAL SERVICES: The MECLab is available to users across the USF-system as well as to non-USF affiliated researchers.  Click here for current analytical service rates. 

CONTACT: Ethan Goddard for more information or to inquire about collaborative research or analytical services.

3D VIRTUAL TOUR: Click below to immerse yourself in the MECLab

OVERVIEW:

The Marine Environmental Chemistry Laboratory is a multi-group core analytical facility in the USF College of Marine Science MSL Building. The stable-isotope (magnetic sector) and GC- and LC- (tandem-quadrupole) mass spectrometers housed in the MECLab support the research enterprise of faculty and students across the USF-system, local and state partners, and collaborators around the world.

Three stable isotope mass-spectrometers measure carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and hydrogen stable isotope compositions of a variety of geologic and biologic materials including carbonates, waters, tissues, plants, bone/enamel/apatite and specific organic compound-classes (alkanes, fatty acids, biomarkers).

Two gas-chromatography mass spectrometers (GC-MS/MS) and a high-performance liquid-chromatography mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS) identify and quantify ultra-low abundance organic compounds of interest to environmental/contaminant and earth system history geochemists (PAHs, alkanes, biomarkers, GDGTs, PFAS) using scanning, SIM and tandem (MS/MS) techniques.

The laboratory maintains HPLC (UV/Vis, FLD) and GC (FID, ECD) instrumentation along with facilities for automated sample preparation (ASE, RapidVap)

ASSOCIATED PIs and STAFF: Murawski (MRA/Fisheries Ecology), Shevenell (paleoceanography), Rosenheim (paleoceanography), Peebles (MRA/Fisheries Ecology), Stallings (MRA/Fisheries Ecology), Goddard and Pulster (Technical Staff)

FACILITY INSTRUMENTATION AND EQUIPMENT:

Thermo MAT253 IRMS w/ dual-inlet and continuous-flow inlets coupled to a Gas-Bench II prep device for headspace analysis of CO2 (DIC, carbonates, water-d18O)

Thermo Delta V Plus w/ continuous-flow inlet coupled to a Thermo Flash EA - ConFlo IV for NCS isotope (15N, 13C, 34S) analysis of tissues, sediments and minerals and a Thermo Trace 1310 GC - Isolink II for compound-specific NC isotope (15N, 13C) analysis of GC amenable compounds (fatty- and amino-acids, alkanes/hydrocarbons).

Thermo Delta+XL IRMS w/ continuous-flow inlet coupled to a Carlo-Erba 1108 EA for NC isotope (15N, 13C) analysis of tissues, sediments and minerals.

Agilent 6410-1290 uHPLC-MS/MS with ESI and APCI sources for biomarker and environmental contaminant analysis.

Two Agilent 7010B-7890B GC-MS/MS with multi-mode (PTV, split/splitless) injector, FID and ECD detectors for biomarker and environmental contaminant analysis.

Dionex ASE350 and Dionex ASE200 Automated Solvent Extractors

Labconco RapidVap Vertex Evaporator

Labconco Freezone 18L freeze-dryers (2)

SP Scientific GeneVac centrifugal concentrator

Thermo SC250EXP centrifugal concentrator