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 …

We maintain a facility for cosmogenic nuclide sample preparation for meteoric and in situ ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be. This includes heavy liquid separation and cleaning of sample material with hydrochloric acid and hexasilicafluorid acid (HCl SiF₆) on shakers. Further leaching is carried out in low-concentrated hydrofluoric acid on hot dog rollers and in ultrasonic baths. Digestion of quartz-rich material is done on shaker tables and in a microwave digestion oven that ensure save operation. Ion-exchange …

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, …

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 …

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 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).

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.