Welcome to the Freshwater Biogeochemistry Laboratory
The lab is designed to process a variety of environmental samples such as water, soils, sediments, algal and bacterial samples. The lab is equipped with various instrumentation such as a Carbon and Nitrogen analyzer (TC/TN, Perkin Elmer 2400 CHNSO), Technicon Auto Analyzer for the analysis of inorganic nutrients i.e. soluble reactive phosphorus – SRP; nitrate + nitrite – NO3/NO2; ammonia – NH4. The lab also processes and analyzes samples for total phosphorus (TP), enzyme activity, pigment determination (Chlorophyll a, b, c), pH, dry and ash free dry weights, radioisotopic analyses, algae/bacterial enumeration (fluorometric assay/microscopic determination). The lab follows strict Quality Assurance/Quality Control guidelines with regard to sampling handling, analysis and data recovery. The lab also performs a wide variety of field activities including water, algal/bacterial, soils and sediment sample collection using ISCO Portable Water Samplers and coring equipment. Climatic parameters (air, water temperature and depth) are measured using Campbell Scientific CR10 Measurement and Control Systems. We also measure other field parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, conductivity using Hydrolab multi-probe data loggers and Lycor light sensors.