Analytical Chemistry

The analytical chemistry team provides a range of high quality analytical services for both research and commercial projects.

The radioanalytical and analytical laboratories support various studies such as low level tritium analysis in aqueous samples, trace metal analysis in aquatic environments, measurement of naturally occuring radioacitve material (NORM), pollutant transport in groundwater and emission of volatile and wastes chemicals in the environment.

Facilities

The laboratories are equipped with sophisticated instrumentation such as: quadrupole inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometer (ICPMS); a simultaneous inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICPAES); a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS); a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LCMS), a carbon, nitrogen and sulphur analyser (CNS), anion & cation chromatographs (IC) and isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS)

MLS1200 Mega laboratory microwave digester with pressure and temperature control system. Sample digestion is performed using acids under temperature controlled conditions.

Vista Simultaneous Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES) is an axially viewed instrument with purged echelle polychromator and VistaChip image-mapped Charged Coupled Device (CCD) detector.

IsoPrime Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS) with EuroVector Pyr-OH elemental analyser capable of determining δ ¹⁸O & δ ²H ratios for studies into water resources.

Varian CP-3800 Gas Chromatograph. ML1220 Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) for Perfluorocarbons (PFC) analysis at levels as low as parts per trillion.

The Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LCMS) is used to monitor human exposure to uranium.

ANSTO projects & business units that use the analytical chemistry facilities:

• CcASH
• Isotopes for Water
• Counter Terrorism Research
• NMB
• ANSTO Minerals
• OPAL Reactor
• ARI

Research Applications of our capabilities:

Examples of where our analytical and radioanalytical facilities have been used in environmental research can be seen in the following past research projects

• Human Activity and Climate Variability Project
• Radionuclide Environmental Pathways
• Integrated Isotope Investigations for Groundwater Management

For more information contact:

Mr Henri Wong
E-mail