Laboratory Capabilities
Laboratory
Dr. Hu’s research group has three research labs (UTA Geoscience Bldg, Rm 124, 124A, 124B, and 118) that are adjacent to each other with adequate laboratory space (a total of 1,074 sq. ft.) and ancillary equipment listed below.
Major equipment
- Perkin-Elmer ELAN DRC II ICP Mass Spectrometer system (ICP-MS) with an autosampler purchased in Jan. 2007. This state-of-art system eliminates polyatomic interferences completely, using patented Dynamic Reaction Cell™ (DRC™) technology with performance-enhancing Axial Field Technology. Chemically scrubbing the interferences before they enter the analyzer results in detection at ppt levels, even for difficult elements like Fe, Ca, K, Cr, As, V and Se.
- Perkin-Elmer Totalchrom Workstation for ICP-MS to perform front-end separation of chemical species (e.g., As, Cr, Se) purchased in Jan. 2007.
- New Wave Laser Ablation System UP-213 to perform micro-scale (spot sizes in the range of 4 to 250 µm) sampling of any solid sample and sensitive elemental analyses with the interface with ICP-MS. The system was installed in February 2009.
- Micromeritics AutoPore IV 9510 Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry, installed in June 2011, for the measurement of porosity, pore-size distribution, permeability, and tortuosity.
- Model 8610C Gas Chromatograph (Model 8610C, SRI Instruments) with FID and TCD detectors to perform in-line detection of CH4 and CO2 in flow-through reactor system.
Supporting equipment
- Water purification system (Millipore Element A10 and Elix 10)
- Balance (Ohaus Adventurer Pro AV8101C, max 8000 g, resolution 0.1 g)
- Balance (Fisher ACCU-622, max 620 g, resolution 0.01 g)
- Balance (Fisher ACCU-153, max 150 g, resolution 0.001 g)
- Balance (Adam PW245, max 250 g, resolution 0.0001 g)
- Balance (Shimadzu AUW220D, max 80 g, resolution 0.00001 g)
- Protector® controlled atmosphere glove box (Labconco model 50800, 41.5” w × 28.0” d × 32.4” h main chamber and 11” w × 20” d × 13” h transfer chamber; He leak-tested with the maximum detectable leak less than 32 cc/yr): ideal to maintain desired environment to conduct biogeochemical work under modified air compositions
- Gas diffusion apparatus to measure gas diffusivity in porous media
- Imbibition setup with automatic data logging capabilities
- Relative humidity chambers, incubator, freeze-drying apparatus to prepare solid samples
- Column setups (pumps, columns, fraction collectors) for both saturated and unsaturated transport experiments to study a variety of chemicals in unconsolidated geological samples.
- Stirred flow cells (Millipore) to quantify the dynamic chemical reactions in porous media
- Batch sorption setup (Rotator for mixing, Bellco tube rotator) to study fluid-chemical-solid interactions
- Laminar flow workstation to prepare samples for ICP-MS analyses
- Datalogger (Campbell CR1000)
- Freeze-dryer (Virtis benchtop)
- Autoclave (VWR AS12 Accu Sterilizer)
- 2 Refrigerators/freezers (GE)
- Environmental incubator (VWR)
- 2 sample drying ovens (Blue M)
- Furnace for temperature up to 1,100 oC (Blue M)
- Microprecision controlled water bath (Precision Scientific 280 Series)
- 3 functional 4-foot fume hoods
- Auto-desicaator (ScienceWare Secador 4.0) to maintain low humidity environment for sample processing
- Vacuum saturation apparatus for geological samples
- Table-top centrifuge (VWR Clinic 100, with speeds from 300 – 6,500 rpm)
- IQ140 pH/mV/Temp/ORP system
- Multi-parameter Oakton meter (temp, pH, conductivity, TDS, salinity)
- pH (glass and narrow-bore ISFET) and ORP electrodes
- Conductivity meter and probe
- Alkalinity digital titrator (Hach Model 16900)
- Dissolved oxygen monitor (Pinpoint)
- Oxygen sensor (Nuvair Pro O2 analyzer)
- CO2/temperature sensor (Telaire Model 7001)
- Pipettors covering different volumes
- Hot plate; magnetic stirrer;
- RH and temp dataloggers (EXTECH)
- Pressure gauges (Granville-Phillps 275 Series Digital Convectron Gauge)
- Pressure regulators for different gases (Ar, He, CH4, O2, NH3)
- Lab-grade dewar shielded vacuum flasks (Pope Scientific – Size 350 – Model 8600-0099)
- A series of stainless-steel sieves for particle size analyses
Glove Box
ICP-MS
Laser Ablation-ICP-MS
Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry