Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory

Nutrient Analysis

EcoCore maintains an Alpkem Flow Solution IV Automated wet chemistry system (O.I. Analytical, College Station TX). The instrument features a 270 position random access auto sampler and the ability to use either segmented flow analysis (SFA) or flow injection analysis (FIA). Two auto ranging detector channels allow simultaneous measurement of two ionic species at up to 60 samples per hour.


Currently available chemistries include:

 

Alkem

  • Ammonium (NH4+) by segmented flow analysis.
  • Nitrate + Nitrite (NO3-+NO2-) by flow injection analysis.
  • Nitrite (NO2-) by flow injection analysis.
  • Orthophosphate (PO43-) by segmented flow analysis.

 

 

 

The instrument is principally used for analyzing water samples and soil extracts.

 

 
 

Inorganic N

Orthophosphate

Sample analysis volume

2 ml

2 ml

Volume to be submitted*

10 ml

10 ml

Detection limit

0.5 mg N/L

0.05 mg P/L

Analysis time

1 min/sample

1.5 min/sample

Instrument capacity

200 samples/day

150 samples/day

* We request more sample volume so that the sample can be ran more than once if the analysis does not perform correctly.