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 …

Within HELGES we have a ISO 6 metal-free clean laboratory, dedicated entirely to blank-sensitive metal(loid) geochemistry. Numerous ISO 4 laminar flow hoods are available for the preparation of wide-ranging sample substrates for non-traditional stable isotope and concentration analysis, along with other essential infrastructure like a centrifuge, ultrasonic bath, microbalance, hotplates etc. Protocols established in the lab include (but are not limited to) Li, B, Mg, Si, K, Fe, Ni, Zn, Sr, and …

Within HELGES, we have more than 100 m² of clean lab space is available for separation of meteoric and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides. We prepare wide-ranging sample substrates for meteoric cosmogenic nuclides (e.g. rocks, sediments, soils, river water, seawater, plants) and mainly quartz for terrestrial (in situ) cosmogenic nuclides (mainly ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al). Such clean lab methods are couple to mineral separation labs. The clean lab features other essential infrastructure like a centrifuge, …

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 palaeogenetics lab is a part of the larger molecular genetic facility specialized to analyse ancient sedimentary DNA and is placed in a separate building apart from the modern and recent environmental lab and Post-PCR areas. In the palaeogenetics lab we analyse ancient DNA from sediment cores (lakes or marine archives) or permafrost deposits.
We apply DNA metabarcoding and metagenomics (shotgun and hybridisation capture) to investigate spatial and temporal biodiversity with the aim of …