Instrumentation Other

HPLC, IR and UV-VIS, Mercury Analyzer

There are many other types of instrumentation which we use in our laboratories for analysis and for field related activities. A selection of these are shown below:

• DIONEX DX300 Ion Chromatography system with conductivity detector and autosampler for the analysis of mojor ions in water samples.



The ASU is accredited for the analysis of fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate and phosphate in water samples. The hplc system is configured for isocratic operation as well as gradient profile work, allowing a large variety of anions to be simultaneously determined.

• Automatic Titration Unit: Brinkmann Model 716 DMS Titrino Unit, for computer assisted titration.



The automatic titrator is fully programmable and has been used for Karl Fisher determinations, acid/base titrations and alkaline dust calculations.

• DMA Dedicated Mercury Analyzer. Fully automated instrumentation for mercury analysis at the ppb level.



This instrument requires virtually no sample preparation and is used for the analysis of soils, plants and waters. Samples are analyzed for mercury using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry at 254nm. In the instrument, samples are dried and then thermally decomposed in a continuous flow of oxygen. Combustion products are further decomposed in a hot catalyst bed. Mercury vapours are trapped on a gold amalgamator tube and subsequently desorbed.

• Air sampling equipment: a 224-PCXR4 Universal Air Sampling Pump for use with sorbent tubes, to determine concentrations of contaminants in the air.



Charcoal, XAD-2 and ORBO 60 sorbent tubes are used to test for hydrocarbons, chlorobenzenes and PCBs in the field. The air sampling unit has also been used to test for organic vapors in the laboratory.