Lamont Analytical Recharge Fees

 

Per-sample fees for each analysis have been calculated based on associated costs of consumables and (in some cases) technical support. Estimates of the technical support levels required to conduct each type of analysis is provided for budget planning purposes. Overhead expenses have not been included in these fees but fringe benefits have been included for technical suppoirt (Current: Oct. 2003).

 Analysis

  Cost (per sample)
 Precision (RSD)
 Notes
 Carbonate (manual) $0.75
  ±0.2 wt. %
  30-40-samples/day. Required technician time: 8 hours/day.
 Carbonate (Automated) $0.75
  ±0.2 wt. %
  80-90 samples/day. Required technician time: 4-6 hours/day.
 Biogenic Opal $0.75
 <±4% for >10% Opal
  80-samples/week. Required technician time: 8 hours/day.
 Organic C/N

$3.75
 ±0.3 wt. %
  60-samples/week. Required technician time: 8 hours/day.
Coral, Mollusc Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca (ICP-OES) $5.50
±0.2%
 100 samples/day: For samples which require minimal prep and no technical assistance (Student rate)
Foram Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca (ICP-OES) $20.00
±0.2%
 75 samples/week. For planktic and benthic foram samples. Fee includes technical salary for full sample crushing, cleaning, and analysis.

Analyses can be conducted by our technicians by special arrangement. We generally only consider projects requiring large numbers of analyses due to the time required to start new projects and reallocate technical support. Samples fees for such analyses will be considerably higher due to the associated technical salary support.

Carbonate and Organic Carbon Analyses

Organic Carbon analyses can also be conducted via differencing a total carbon and carbonate carbon measurements (using the CE Elantech CNS analyzer and autocoulometer, respectively). This method can produce reliable results (RSD error of ~1-2%) for samples with high (>1%) Corg contents and moderate to high CaCO3 contents (>30%) (see below).

 

Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca analyses of Biogenic Carbonate

A new(2001) Jobin-Yvon Panorama 2000 ICP-OES was purchased two years ago for Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca analyses of biogenic carbonates. We use the Schrag (1999) sample-reference analytical method to drift-correct the raw concentration data; replicate precisions of internal standards is typically ±0.2% RSD (drift-corrected).

The Lamont ICP-OES Lab is run as a cost-center with tiered analytical fees depending on the types of samples analyzed and whether technical expertise is required. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca analyses of mollusk and coral samples typically require minimal technical assistance, whereas analysis of foram samples requires consider technical expertise in the cleaning and preparation of samples prior to analysis. Our technician Martha Bryan has oversight and management responsibilities in the lab in all cases and is responsible for day-to-day operations.

  1. Analysis of prepared samples (e.g. mollusk and coral samples): $5.50/sample. Expenses cover liquid Ar and other consumable and breakage costs, as well as technical expenses associated with running, tuning, and maintaining the instrument. Graduate students who have been trained to clean foram samples using our method can run their own thesis research samples at this reduced rate.
  2. Analysis of picked foram samples: $20/sample. This is an inclusive analytical fee which allows PI’s to give picked samples to our technician (Martha Bryan) who will then crush, clean, and analyze samples, and reduce the data which are then sent to the PI. This rate includes the associated costs of consumables and instrument maintenance, as well as costs related to cleaning sample vials and preparing standards and solutions. Our lab uses the full trace-metal cleaning procedure as described in Boyle and Keigwin (1985/6) as modified by Boyle and Rosenthal (1996) (i.e. clay removal, reduction, oxidation, weak acid leach). One rack of 28 samples (plus two process blanks) requires about 15 hours to process (raw picked forams to final processed data).