Sediment geochemistry

Rooms: 1219 & 1416
Contact person / Head: Prof. Thierry Adatte (+41 21 692 35 26)

 

Rock Eval

The standard model of Rock-Eval 6 (Technologies Vinci, Rueil-Malmaison, France) uses pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere followed by oxidation, at intervals of temperature between 200°C and 850°C. Many types of information on the content and the nature of organic carbon (and mineral carbon) are obtained using pyrograms. The Rock-Eval apparatus is used to analyse various types of samples : rocks, sediments, soils, vegetation... etc.

 

Elemental analyzer using spectrophotometry

Spectrophotometer PerkinElmer Lambda 25 used for elemental analysis of phosphorus (and iron) in sediments and soil samples.

 

 

Elemental analyzer using gaseous chromatography

The Thermo Finnigan Flash EA 1112 analyzer enables elemental measurements of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur in sediments and soils. The  samples are heated up to 900°C and the combustion products are extracted into a chromatographic column, in which they are converted into simpler components. The components are then measured by a thermal conductivity detector.

 

The lab in images

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