Laboratory Equipment

One central attribute of the chair and the research center is the laboratory, consisting of the three units physicochemical laboratory, trace compounds analysis and microbiological laboratory.

The physicochemical laboratory is equipped with highly modern analytical tools and machines, which allows the analysis of numerous drinking and wastewater parameters according to standardized methods. For the measurement of general water parameters such as pH value, conductivity and BOD, specific probes as well as a Sapromat can be used. Nitrogen-containing parameters can be detected through flow injection analysis. For the analysis of metals, two atomic absorption spectrometers are available. Anions of relevance in water, oxohalogenides such as bromate and chlorate as well as short-chain fatty acids can be measured using ion chromatography. With respect to quantifying organic carbon, the laboratory is equipped to measure parameters such as COD and TOC, but also with analysis techniques for further DOC characterization with the help of 3-D fluorescence spectroscopy.

The characterization and identification of organic molecules from aqueous samples with trace compounds analysis (target screening) can be carried out using chromatographic separation techniques coupled to highly sensitive mass spectrometric detection techniques (LC-MS/MS). Volatile organic compounds as well as particles originating from micro plastics can be detected with the help of headspace-GC-FID and a thermo desorption pyrolysis GC, respectively.

The microbiological laboratory uses conventional cultivation techniques to determine the fecal indicator germs (E. coli and enterococci) and pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella spp.) relevant for hygienic water quality. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy for the quantitative detection of active and dead microorganisms is possible. Bacterial cell numbers, antibiotic resistance genes and certain bacterial groups such as enterococci are detected with the qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). High throughput sequencing technologies based on RNA or DNA are used to characterize microbial communities and microbiomes from aquatic systems. Furthermore, the laboratory owns a collection of microorganisms (bacteria & fungi) from technical systems that can be used for further experiments.

I) GENERAL WATER PARAMETERS

1. Sapromat, Company: Voith
2. Dilution BOD with Oximeter Oxi 730 (testing probe Stirr Ox G), Company: WTW
3. Distillation system K-355, Company: Büchi
4. Flow injection analyzer FIA star 5000 Analyzer, company: Foss

II) Organic Water Components

1. TOC-Analyzer VarioTOC, company: Elementar
2. Aqualog, Company: HORIBA Scientific

III) Element Analysis

1. Flame AAS AA240FS, Company: Varian
2. Graphite funnel AAS AA240Z, Company: Varian
3. Digestion system SMA 12L, Company: Behr

IV) ION CHROMATOGRAPHY

1. Ion chromatography system 930 IC Compact Flex with 858 Professional Sample Processor, Company: Metrohm

 

V) Photometer

1. FT-IR spectrometer 16 PC, Company: Perkin Elmer
2. Lange photometer DR 2800, Company: HACH Lange

I) HPLC

1. HPLC 1260 (RPLC-HILIC-MS) with fraction collector, Company: Agilent
2. UHPLC PlatinBlue – with UV detector (-1000 bar), Company: KNAUER

II) MASS SPEKTROMETRY

1. QTrap 5500, company: ABSciex
2. TripleQ 6500, company: ABSciex

III) GASCHROMATOGRAPHY

1. TED-Py-GC/MS, company: Gerstel
2. GC-FID with Headspace Sampler 7697A, company: Agilent

IV) OTHER MS-COMPATIBLE EQUIPMENT

1. NanoMate (Advion robot), company: Advion

I) HPLC (copy 2)

1. ZETAVIEW Basic NTA, Company: Particle Metrix

I) Examination and Sample Preparation

1. Autoclave Fedegari FVA3-A1, Company:  IBS Integra Biosciences
2. Autoclave Varioklav 135 S, Company: H+P Labortechnik GmbH
3. Centrifuge Sigma 4K15, Company: Sigma
4. Centrifuge Centrifuge 5417R, Company: Eppendorf
5. Centrifuge Eppendorf 5430, Company: Eppendorf
6. Water baths
7. Filtration unit with multiple extraction apparatus, Company: Sartorius
8. Fitration unit for DAPI colouring, Company: Schott Duran S&S
9. Homogenizer  Potter-Elvehjem, Company: Potter-Elvehjem

II) Classical Cultivation Techniques

1. Safety cabinet HERA Safe, Type KS 15, Company: THERMO Scientific
2. Safety cabinet Labgard CLASS II,  TYPE A/B3, Company: NUAIRE
3. Shaking incubator Innova  4230, Company: New Brunswick Scientific
4. Shaking incubator Schüttelinkubator GFL 3032, Company: GFL, Gesellschaft für Labortechnik GmbH
5. Incubator, Modell BD 240, Company: BINDER GmbH
6. Incubators, Company: Memmert GmbH
7. Anaerobic chamber, Company: TOEPFFER Lab Systems
8. Colony counter BZG 30, Company: WTW 

A) Hybridization

1. Hybridization oven  „Mini-38“, Company: Bachhofer GmbH
2. Hybridization oven  „Mini-Hybri“, Company: Helmut Saur Laborbedarf

B) DNA Extraction and Analysis

1. Cell Disrupter, Thermo Savant BIO 101 Fast Prep-24, Company: Q biogene, Inc (Europe)
2. Gel electrophoresis CONSORT E863, Company: Uni Equip
3. Gel Doc XRt, Company: BIO-RAD
4. Evaporator centrifuge Uni VAPO 100H, Company: UNI EQUIP

C) Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (PCR)

1. PCR chamber Tamer Template Quantum, Company: Appligene
2. Thermal cycler real-time system CFX96, Company: BIO-RAD
3. Thermocycler primus 96, Company: peQLab

IV) Microscopy

1. Microtom cryostat Cryo-Star HM 560 MV, Company: MICROM International GmbH
2. Laser scanning microscope LSM 510, Company: Zeiss
3. Light microscope Aristoplan, Company: Leitz
4. Stereo microscope (Binokular) Wild M3Z, Company: Leica