Equipment List
Equipment List
Note: The EQ Lab is not a commercial facility. We assist research programs for our staff, students, colleagues and collaborators. There are three tiers of user charges depending on whether you belong to Environmental Science, the University, or are an external user, and also depending on consumables and labour time. If you wish to use the laboratory or its equipment, please contact Kaushal Tewari or Damian Gore.
Sample Retrieval
| Item | Used for | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Monitoring Unit (EMU) | Mobile research laboratory housing power supply, sample preparation equipment and analytical equipment such as XRF or XRD. |  photo: www.ultimatecampers.com.au |
| Melvelle Model 123AN Super Rig, mounted on tandem-axle box trailer. | Site investigation using push tube coring with hydraulic hammer and NMLC holding barrel, augering and W-C and diamond coring. The drill string can also be readily used as a hand coring system.This rig is for sale – contact us! |  The rig stripped down for helicopter flight  The rig on Marine Plain, Antarctica |
| Geoprobe 54LT tracked direct push drill rig | Probing sediment to <10 m depth |  |
| Trailer mounted backhoe (Navihoe) | Digging trenches to 2.5 m depth |
Sample decomposition & preparation
| Item | Used for | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Fritsch “Pulverisette 19” cutting mill with tungsten carbide blades and cyclonic extraction/filtration unit. | Shredding fibrous/ductile materials (printed circuit boards, plastics, organics). The extraction unit is filtered at 0.3 µm allowing safe comminution of organic samples. |  Photo: www.fritsch.de |
| Fritsch “Pulverisette 6” planetary ball mill with silicon nitride (x 2) and zirconium oxide (x 1) bowls. | Pulverising large soil samples for analysis as powders or preparation for dissolution. |  Photo: www.fritsch.de |
| Retsch MM-301 Mixer Mill with 4 tungsten carbide vials. | Pulverising small soil samples for analysis as powders or preparation for dissolution. |  |
| Fritsch “Pulverisette 0” vibratory micro mill with tungsten carbide mortar and ball | Pulverising small samples for analysis as powders or preparation for dissolution. |  Photo: www.fritsch.de |
| Anton-Paar Multiwave 3000 microwave | Microwave-assisted decomposition of materials in teflon pressure vessels (note rotors and acid scrubbers below microwave). |  |
| Hach Digesdahl (with full Azlon shield) | Decomposition of organic samples by a sulphuric acid-peroxide mixture. |  |
| Herzog 20 tonne Press | Making pressed powder pellets for XRF analysis. |  |
| Simplimet 3000 thermal press with 30 mm & 40 mm moulds. | Pressing plastics into pellets for analysis using XRF or IR spectroscopy. |  |
| Nalgene desiccators (x3; 4 tray) | Keeping XRF samples and standards dry. |  |
Sample analysis
| Item | Used for | Image |
|---|---|---|
| PANalytical Epsilon 3-50XL. 50 kV transportable X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer with Rh anode tube. | Elemental analysis of solids and liquids from F-U; measures K lines up to Sb (and including a few of the Lanthanides if they are above detection limit). The XL signifies an extra high lid, to enable measurement of large samples such as archaeological artefacts or eWaste. |  Photo: www.panalytical.com |
| PANalytical MiniPal4 30 kV X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer with Mo anode tube | Elemental analysis of solids and liquids from Al-U; measures K lines up to Zr. |  |
| Bruker S2 PicoFox XRF spectrometer with Mo anode tube | Sub-ppm analysis of trace elements in liquids from Al to U. |  Photo: www.brunker-axs.de/s2picofox.html |
| PANalytical X’Pert Pro MPD with parallel beam and Bragg-Brentano focussing mirror, capillary and multi-purpose sample stage. For routine samples there is a 45 position autosampler. | Qualitative and quantitative determination of minerals in loose powders, pellets and thin adhesive films, small samples and large samples such as archaeological artefacts. |  Photo: www.panalytical.com |
| In Xitu Terra portable XRD. | In field or laboratory determination of minerals in powdered samples. |  Photo: www.innovx.com/products/terra |
| Hach DR-2500, DR-2800 and DR-4000 laboratory spectrophotometers | Analysis of ions in water. |  DR-4000  DR-2500 Photo: www.hach.com |
| Metrohm 761 Compact ion chromatograph | Measurement of mono-and divalent ions in water. |  |
| IC Autosampler | Sample delivery to ion chromatograph. |  |
| Metrohm 757 VA Computrace | Quantification and speciation of metals in water via anode stripping voltammetry. |  |
Soil Hydraulics
| Item | Used for | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Volumetric soil moisture probe | In-situ measurement of soil moisture. | |
| Darcy apparatus | Ex-situ measurement of hydraulic conductivity of porous materials. |  |
| In situ level loggers (x 2) | Recording Pressure (water level) and temperature in water to 15 m depth. The loggers are vented via the cable so no correction is required for atmospheric pressure. With 2 AA batteries data can be logged for more than 1 year. |  Photo: www.enviroequip.com |
| YSI 600 XLM multi parameter sonde | Logging water quality data in marine and freshwater (depth, conductivity, pH, ORP). The sonde is non-vented and can be used to 50 m depth. With 4 AA batteries, it can log data for 1 month if acquired every 15 minutes. |  |
General Labware
| Item | Used for | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Millipore Elix Type II water system | Provision of deionised water. |  |
| Millipore Synergy Type I water system | Provision of ultrapure, Type I, 16 MOhm.cm water. |  |
| Portable water quality meters | Various Hanna and Denver meters for pH, ORP, DO, ammonia and conductivity. |   |
| Pipettes (x4 of each; 0.1-10 mL, 10-200 µL, 1-20 µL) | Dispensing a range of liquids. |  |
| Ratek Orbital Platform mixer (OM6, OM7) | Mixing aqueous samples. |  |
| Sanyo MIR-253 Freeze-thaw incubator. 250 L capacity, 5 shelf. Lockable, with instrument port in the side. | Cycling materials from -10 C to +20 C. Programmable to 99 cycles. |  |