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, …

Pre-treatment of river sediment and soil samples for cosmogenic isotope analyses (¹⁰Be, ²⁶Al) includes purification steps to obtain pure quartz sands prior to dissolution and element separation by ion chromatography column chemistry. From sieved samples, minerals are separated by magnetic separation and/or heavy liquids, and silicate and oxide minerals are chemically separated from quartz by leaching with acids (HF, HCl, HNO₃) at elevated temperatures.

The hydrochemistry lab at AWI provides wet chemistry analyses of surface and ground waters, snow, ice and permafrost pore water samples. We have optimized the workflow for thawing samples and extracting pore water sediment from sediments and soils for further analysis. We analyze concentrations of major dissolved species in cationic, anionic and total dissolved form, and perform analyses of organic carbon. Standard parameters, such as pH, alkalinity and electrical conductivity of samples are …

Our instrument is used for the quantitative measurement of ion concentrations by detecting the electrical conductivity. By default, the system is operated to determine anion contents. For most of the measured ions the determination limit is below 1 mg/L. A modification of the device, i.e. replacement of the separation column and change of the eluent, allows also for the detection of cations.

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 Integrion HPIC System.
The IC Lab is associated to the ElMiE Lab. Information on how to apply for …

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).

In the Pore Water Geochemistry Lab pore water from sediment samples is extracted using a hydraulic press with Titanium extractors. Extremely small (µl) volumes of aqueous samples are analysed with ion chromatographs for inorganic ions, cations and organic acids and a photometer.

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 …

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).