Laboratory Facilities and Field Sampling Capabilities

My laboratory is located at SCSU in Jennings Hall 314. The laboratory is equipped with equipment and supplies necessary for the conduct of our studies of contaminant metals in coastal sediment
and organisms.

The lab is equipped with an EACI bench top laminar airflow station. The unit contains a prefilter and a HEPA filter to provide air that meets or exceeds ISO 14644 Class 5 Clean Air requirements.

Acid extractions of metals from sediment samples are conducted in vented fume hoods in
the laboratory.

Type I reagent quality water purification is accomplished using an E-pure 3-Module System
with pretreatment.

Matthew Cacopardo analyzes a digest sample using an air-acetylene flame on the PerkinElmer AAnalyst 800 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. This instrument, located in JE 325, is equipped with an automated motorized atomizer, allowing the switching between flame and furnace by software command. The instrument is equipped with a transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) with longitudinal Zeeman effect background correction. The graphite furnace system includes true temperature control and integrated platform tubes providing STPF conditions for almost interference-free trace metal analysis. The AAS system is interfaced with a PC with WinLab32 software. The system is also equipped with a MHS – 15 Mercury-Hydride System. The MHS-15 Mercury/Hydride System is a manual accessory for high-sensitivity determination of mercury and hydride-forming elements, such as As, Se, Sb, Te, Bi and Sn, by flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

Sediment sampling is accomplished using a ponar grab. A brief video of the sediment sampling process is available here.

Sediment cores (2” x 20”) or (2” x 36”) are obtained using a Wildco Hand Held Stainless Steel Corer. The corer is lined with plastic core tubes to allow easy extraction and storage of the sediment core.
A brief video of the sediment coring process is available here.

Access to Connecticut harbors and Long Island Sound for sediment sampling is provided by the R/V Sounder. The R/V Sounder is a 38 ft former fishing vessel refitted to provide a sampling platform for coastal research and education activities. More information concerning the R/V Sounder can be accessed at the Schooner Sound Learning website.