Laboratories

School of Geography, University of Leeds

Palaeoecological Laboratory

For further information please contact Dr John Corr.

Instrumentation

HeraeusMultifuge 3L centrifuge
Leica DMLS microscope
Leica CME microscope
Olympus stereo microscope
Leica MZ-6 binocular microscope
Bartington magnetic susceptibility meter

Purpose

The laboratory caters for aspects of palaeoecological research. The primary function is the preparation of pollen samples using Hydrofluoric Acid (a special HF-safe fume cupboard is present, as well as a make-air system). High resolution sampling strategies enables the reconstruction of climatic changes over the last 250 ka, as well as the investigation of recent climatic and vegetational changes associated with anthropogenic activity in archaeological/environmental projects. Other techniques available for environmental reconstruction include Molluscan analysis and magnetic susceptibility.



Main Teaching Laboratory 2.50

For further information please contact Rachel Gasior.

Instrumentation

Corning FP400 Flame Photometer
Sherwood FP410 Flame Photometer
Gerhardt Vapordest VAP30IR IR Digestor
Gerhardt TT6/4 Steam distiller
HACH DR2010 Spectrometer

Purpose

The laboratory is equipped for general wet laboratory undergraduate teaching purposes. Basic equipment includes hotplates, shaker tables, ovens, balances, fume cupboards, deioniser, flame photometers, spectrometers, glassware and plastic-ware. Around 30 students can be comfortably accommodated. The flame photometers are used for the determination of cations in waters and soil extracts, the steam distiller/IR digestor equipment for Kjeldahl nitrogen in soils and the spectrometers for a variety of determinations such as reactive phosphorous in waters.



Dissertation/Project Laboratory 2.60

For further information please contact Rachel Gasior.

Instrumentation

HACH DR2010 Spectrometer
HACH Odyssey Spectrometer
Denver Instruments 220 Bench pH/conductivity
Mettler Toledo MP225 Bench pH meter

Purpose

The laboratory is equipped for general laboratory purposes, with hotplates, shaker tables, fume cupboards, muffle furnaces, balances, sieve shaker, glassware, plastic-ware and ovens. A variety of dissertation and research project students can be accommodated. This laboratory is sometimes used to teach up to 20 undergraduates.



Water Quality Laboratory 2.58

For further information please contact Rachel Gasior.

Instrumentation

Vacuum filtration manifold
Mettler Toledo MP225 Bench pH meter
Gallenkamp Incubator

Purpose

This small laboratory is used by undergraduates and taught postgraduates for water quality determinations and preparation of water samples for analysis



Post Graduate Laboratory 2.57

For further information please contact Rachel Gasior.

Purpose

This small laboratory is used by postgraduates for sample preparation and storage. It houses two large cold stores and several smaller fridges along with an autoclave which is normally used for sample preparation.

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