The Analytical Core Lab

Providing chemical analysis for researchers and hands-on training in advanced instrumentation for students.

The Analytical Core Lab at the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences helps with research in two ways.

• Teaches students about analytical techniques for preparing samples. It also provides hands-on education on the instruments used in the lab. The Analytical Core Lab has several workstations. Researchers can use these for experiments. They focus on nutrient, trace metal, or isotope analysis.
• Many instruments are available for campus researchers, staff, and faculty to use.

Analytical Facility

The Analytical Core Lab can conduct non-certified analyses for dissolved nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, Total C (filter, solid, or tissue), Total N (filter, solid, or tissue), trace metals, and isotope ratios (d15N [solids/filters], d13C [gas or solids/filters], d18O [liquid], d2H [liquid]). Instrumentation used by the core lab includes ICP-MS, IRMS, TOC-TN analyzer, CHN, IC, AA, CRDS, plus others.

Analysis	Instrument	Internal UW Price	External Price	Unit Base
Carbon and Nitrogen Soil or Tissue	Carlo Erba NA 1500 Series	$3.92	$7.90	sample or standard
Carbon and Nitrogen Filter	Carlo Erba NA 1500 Series	$3.92	$7.90	sample or standard
C and N Isotope Ratio Soil or Tissue	Delta V Plus	$9.03	$18.01	sample
C and N Isotope Ratio Filter	Delta V Plus	$9.03	$18.01	sample
Hg Analysis	Merx-T	$5.64	$22.58	sample or standard
Common Cations (Mg, Ca, K, Na)	ICE-3000 Flame AA	$3.39	$6.77	sample
Trace Element	Thermo Element 2 ICP-MS	$14.14	$22.58	sample
Dissolved Inorganic Nutrients (NH4+,PO43-, Silica)	Seal Analytical AA3	$3.39	$6.77	sample or standard
Water Isotopes	Picarro L2130-i	$6.77	$13.55	sample
TOC, NPOC, TN	Shimadzu TOC-L	$7.73	$8.62	sample or standard
Common Anions (Cl–, NO3–, PO43-, SO42-)	Dionex ICS-1000	$3.39	$6.77	sample or standard
	Zeiss M2 Upright	$9.20	$13.34	hour
	Ultra Centrifuge	$9.74	$10.87	hour
	FTIR	$6.62	$7.39	hour
	Zetasizer	$17.37	$19.38	hour

Student Experience

The goal of the Analytical Core Lab is to provide hands-on education and experience to upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. The core lab provides a work environment built around completing chemical analyses that will further their education and research while aiding in the learning of traditional and advanced instrumentation.