Geochemistry and Radio Isotope Laboratories

GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

last updated: April 21, 2025

About the Laboratory

Geochemistry and Radio Isotope Laboratories

GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

@ Section 3.6 Geomicrobiology

This Laboratory is part of:

Geomicrobiology in the GeoBioLab@GFZ laboratory complex
Networks: Geo.X

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Description

Microorganisms interact with their environment as they produce and and consume dissolved compounds that will therefore become depleted or enriched in their surrounding, mainly in the pore water. Analysis of dissolved compounds is therefore a prerequisite for understanding microbial activity in geologic settings. Another major focus of our work in on direct detection of microbial turnover via the use of radioisotopes as those offer unsurpassed sensitivity. As microbial abundance and activity decreases with depth, radiotracers are often the only option to detect these faint traces of life.

Instruments

SCINTILLATION COUNTERS are recorders that keeps a record of the number of times something happens, in this case scintillation or rapid fluctuations in the amplitude and phase of electromagnetic or acoustic waves that have propagated through a medium containing fluctuations in the refractive index, such as the atmosphere. (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
Scintillation Counter
An incubator is an apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction. [The American Heritage Dictionary.] (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
Incubator
Gas chromatography - specifically gas-liquid chromatography - involves a sample being vapourised and injected onto the head of the chromatographic column. The sample is transported through the column by the flow of inert, gaseous mobile phase. The column itself contains a liquid stationary phase which is adsorbed onto the surface of an inert solid. (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
GC - Gas Chromatograph
ION CHROMATOGRAPHS are recorders that are used in chromatography; a form of high pressure liquid chromatography using conductivity detectors where a combination of weak ionic solvents are used to separate anions and cations of a solution, with the contribution of the solvent to conductivity suppressed just prior to detection; measures anions such as sulfate, nitrate, and chloride in hydrometers. (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
IC - Ion Chromatograph
PHOTOMETERS are instruments used for measuring the luminance, luminous intensity, or luminance of a light source; similar to a radiometer, but with an output weighted by the wavelength response of the human eye. (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
Photometer
Oven
GC-IRMS - Gas Chromatography Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer
Isotopic Ratio Mass Spectrometer

Analytical Methods

An incubator is an apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction. [The American Heritage Dictionary.] (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
Incubation
Gas chromatography - specifically gas-liquid chromatography - involves a sample being vapourised and injected onto the head of the chromatographic column. The sample is transported through the column by the flow of inert, gaseous mobile phase. The column itself contains a liquid stationary phase which is adsorbed onto the surface of an inert solid.
Column chromatography in which the mobile phase is a gas. (Note 1: Gas chromatography is always carried out in a column.) (Source: IUPAC; https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2017-0111) (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
GC - Gas Chromatography
ION CHROMATOGRAPHS are recorders that are used in chromatography; a form of high pressure liquid chromatography using conductivity detectors where a combination of weak ionic solvents are used to separate anions and cations of a solution, with the contribution of the solvent to conductivity suppressed just prior to detection; measures anions such as sulfate, nitrate, and chloride in hydrometers.
Chromatography in which separation is based mainly on differences in the ion-exchange affinities of the sample components. (Source: IUPAC; https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2017-0111) (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
IC - Ion Chromatography
Ion Exchange Chromatography
PHOTOMETERS are instruments used for measuring the luminance, luminous intensity, or luminance of a light source; similar to a radiometer, but with an output weighted by the wavelength response of the human eye.
PHOTOMETERS are instruments used for measuring the luminance, luminous intensity, or luminance of a light source; similar to a radiometer, but with an output weighted by the wavelength response of the human eye. (Source: NASA; UUID; 806d0bc3-8d08-4418-800b-972292f3db99) (Source: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3 [...] )
Photometry
Drying
GC-IRMS - Gas Chromatography Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

Laboratory Keywords

In addition to the instruments and analytical methods listed above, these keywords help to describe the work done in the laboratory. This may include the type of samples, standard materials, specific preparative or analytical methods and specific instrument characteristics.

Methane Oxidation Rate
Methanogenesis Rate
Radioisotope Tracer Study
Radioisotopes
Sulfur Reduction Rate

Disciplines

Geoscience > Geochemistry > Geochemistry
Geochemistry
Interdisciplinary > Biology/Ecosystems Science > Geomicrobiology
Geomicrobiology

The Research Network for Geosciences in Berlin and Potsdam

Geochemistry and Radio Isotope Laboratories

GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

About the Laboratory

Geochemistry and Radio Isotope Laboratories

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Description

Instruments

Analytical Methods

Laboratory Keywords

Disciplines

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