National Environmental Isotope Facility

The National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF) is an integrated platform of state‐of‐the‐art isotope and organic geochemistry analytical capabilities. NEIF is part of the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) portfolio of science facilities, and has a primary role to underpin NERC science and provide support to the UK research community. 

The OGU operates three chemical laboratories each specifically designed with biogeochemical research in mind, from initial sample handling and preparation, through extraction and pre-fractionation of analytes to subsequent instrument analysis. Facilities include temperature-controlled and clean rooms, a range of modern analytical laboratory equipment. We utilize compound-specific analyses using hyphenated techniques which enables qualitative and quantitative analysis of large mixtures of compounds.

• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)

  Single quadrupole GC-MS for compound separation and identification using full scan (FS) and selected ion monitoring (SIM).
• Pyrolysis GC-MS (Py-GC-MS)

  GC-MS coupled to a pyrolyser for the analysis of macromolecules and polymers e.g., plastics.
• High Resolution GC-MS (GC/Q-TOF)

  GC-quadrupole-Time of Flight analyses for accurate mass GC-MS, MS/MS and SRM.
• δ13C analyses (GC-C-IRMS)

  Compound-specific carbon isotope analyses for the characterisation of amino acids, fatty acids, phospholipid fatty acids, alkanes, alkenones and other lipids.
• δ15N analyses (GC-C-IRMS)

  Compound-specific nitrogen isotope characterisation for the analysis of amino acids.
• δ2H analyses (GC-TC-IRMS)

  Compound-specific hydrogen isotope characterisation for the analysis of alkanes, fatty acids and other lipids.
• Liquid Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS)

  Triple quadrupole LC-MS-MS analyses for the characterisation of GDGTs and other lipids using Normal or Reversed phase LC or DI with APCI or H-ESI.
• Ultra-high resolution-MS (Orbitrap-MS)

  High resolution MS dedicated for the analysis of complex mixtures, using UPLC, IC or direct infusion with APCI or H-ESI.