North Wyke Analytical Chemistry

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OUR SERVICES

The North Wyke Analytical Chemistry Unit (NW ACU) works closely with researchers to provide high-quality analytical services. Analyses are performed following robust Standard Test Methods (STMs) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in accordance with the Joint Code of Practice for Research (JCoPR). The unit also participates in the Aquacheck proficiency testing scheme to ensure the accuracy and consistency of analytical results.

In addition to delivering extraction and analytical services, staff work with PhD students and visiting scientists to provide training in the analytical techniques, and provide advice to scientific teams and project partners, contributing specialist knowledge to a wide range of research programmes.

Our core analytical services are:

Water Laboratory

• Aquakem (Thermo Scientific)
• Water Samples: Ammonium (NH₄⁺), Total Oxidised Nitrogen (TON), Molybdate Reactive Phosphorus (MRP), Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorus (TP), Chloride (Cl), Sulphate (SO₄), Nitrite (NO2).
• Soil extracts: NH₄⁺, TON, Olsen P and Ammonia (NH3).
• Total Organic Carbon analyser (Shimadzu)
• Water samples and Soil extracts: Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Carbon (TC), Inorganic Carbon (IC) and TN.

Stable Isotope Laboratory

• Elemental Analyser (Carlo Erba)- IRMS (Sercon)
  • Bulk stable isotope analysis of: Soil and Herbage for: %C and %N, ¹³C and ¹⁵N in solid samples.
• Gas Bench – IRMS (Sercon)
  • Analysis of: ¹⁵N and ¹³C in N₂O and CO₂ gaseous samples.

Greenhouse Gas Analysis

• GC - Headspace analyser (HS) (Perkin Elmer)
  • Concentrations of greenhouse gases; e.g., CH4, N₂O and CO₂.

Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory

• Analysis of Forage: All fibre fractions, crude protein.
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Agilent
  • Water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), Volatile fatty acids (VFAs)

Biogeochemistry Laboratory

• Solvent extraction of soil, sediments and herbage using Accelerated Solvent Extractor ASE350.
• Gas Chromatography Mass spectrometry (GCMS) (Agilent)
  • Concentrations and identity of biomarkers; e.g., n-alkanes, Phospholipid Fatty Acids (PLFAs), Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs), Sterols and Stanols.
• Gas Chromatography- Combustion- Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) (Thermo Scientific) δ¹³C analysis of biomarkers. 

Gamma Spectrometry Laboratory (Ortec)

• Activities of geogenic and fallout radionuclides in sediments and soil.