For quantification of organic (e.g. acetate, formate) and inorganic anions (e.g. chloride, sulfate) in aqueous samples ion exchange chromatography is used.
The quantification of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in aqueous samples and chromatographic separation of the DOC into different fractions and quantification of these fractions in aqueous samples is done via liquid chromatography – organic carbon detection (LC-OCD).

The Geochemistry group is equipped with clean laboratory facilities used for low-blank sample preparation and element separation for isotope abundance measurements and concentration determinations of different elements in rock samples and minerals. Pre-filtered air using various pre-filters and HEPA (H13) filters are employed as well as a slight overpressure, compared to the outside air, to produce clean-lab conditions. Our Clean Laboratory (a total of ca. 105 m²) consists of two separate …

The ElMiE Lab is a research-oriented facility and part of the Helmholtz center in Potsdam. The ElMiE – Lab offers the sample preparation and analyses of geological or environmental inorganic samples for element concentrations and mineralogy of inorganic materials. Laboratories and instruments associated with the ElMiE Lab include the XRD, XRF, …

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 …

Samples of all kinds are pretreated in our sample preparation laboratories. Samples are usually first dried, sieved or separated into magnetic or non-magnetic components in a magnetic separator based on their magnetic properties. Separation based on different mineral densities is also carried out here. Rock samples are ground in a ball mill and then further processed in the clean room laboratory using wet chemical methods.

In the case of cosmogenic nuclide samples for the in situ-produced …

Ion chromatography is used to analyze anions in aqueous solutions. This physical-chemical separation process is based on the distribution of the substance into a mobile fluid phase and a solid stationary phase. We analyze mostly chloride (Cl⁻), fluoride (F⁻), bromide (Br⁻), sulfate (SO₄²⁻) and nitrate (NO₃⁻) in our Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-1100 Ion chromatograph.
The IC Lab is associated to the ElMiE Lab. Information on how to apply …

The Isotope Geochemistry Labs are equipped with a clean room facility (including several low-blank chemistry laboratories (class 100), sample preparation and ion-exchange chromatography, a set up for isotope systems: Pb, U-Pb, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd as well as B and Li isotopes), two thermal ionization mass-spectrometers (TIMS) and a multi-collector mass-spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma source (MC-ICP-MS).

The laboratory deals with the chemical and physical investigation of soil, water and plant materials. The samples to be processed here come, for example, from research projects in the Spreewald, the Lower Havel or Mongolia.
During their studies of geoecology, the students carry out internships in the laboratory. In addition, students from various faculties work on their final theses in the laboratory. Close cooperation takes place with the Institute for Inorganic Chemistry and Didactics of …