B.A.B. Lab Facilities & Analytical Intrumentation

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) / William & Mary provides extensive resources to fully support the diverse research areas investigated in The Biogeochemistry Across Boundaries Laboratory (B.A.B. Lab). To conduct research spanning from ultra-trace level trace element analysis of seawater to sedimentary organic geochemistry, appropriate laboratory spaces, environmental conditions, and analytical instrumentation are required.

The B.A.B. Lab is housed in the new Chesapeake Bay Hall, a state-of-the-art research facility inaugurated in 2025. This building provides dedicated laboratory space, environmental chambers, cold rooms, and additional specialized infrastructure that enables the effective investigation of a broad range of biogeochemical processes.

Space and General Laboratory Equipment

The B.A.B. Lab is a 1,600 ft² trace element and organic geochemistry facility designed for clean and safe sample processing and chemical analysis. The laboratory is organized into three cluster-style workspaces: the Processing Lab, the Analytical Lab, and the Clean Lab. In addition, selected B.A.B. Lab equipment is housed in the VIMS Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, a 500 ft² facility co-led by PI Colombo.

The Processing Lab supports initial sample handling, including sediment sieving and homogenization, water filtration, extraction procedures, and general work. The space includes two fume hoods (one ADA accessible), multiple bench stations, centralized DI water, and a wide array of essential laboratory equipment:

• Labconco benchtop 4.5L freeze dryer with an oil-free scroll pump
• N₂ evaporator systems
• Three Anytical balances (Mettler Toledo)
• A Sorvall ST 8 benchtop centrifuge (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
• Corning Pyroceram glass-ceramic hotplates
• Advanced Digital Shaker (VWR)
• Sonicator and heated bath systems
• Three drying ovens and one small muffle furnaces (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
• Three refrigerators (VWR), six -20°C freezers (VWR), and one -80°C freezer.

The Analytical Lab is dedicated to advanced sample processing, including preparation for stable isotope and radiocarbon analyses, lipid extraction and purification, preparatory column chromatography, and specialized organic geochemistry workflows. This laboratory houses analytical instrumentation and includes two fume hoods (one ADA accessible), two ISO 5 (Class 100) laminar flow hoods (one stainless steel and one polypropylene; TFI), centralized DI water, and the following equipment:

• Ultra-pure water system (Arium Pro UV-TOC, Sartorius; type 1 water)
• Two Visiprep™ SPE Vacuum Manifold (Millipore Sigma)
• Two N₂ heating block / solvent evaporators (Glas-Col)
• Sonicator and heated bath systems
• Two analytical balances (ME and MA series; Mettler Toledo)
• Large drying and combustion ovens (Thermo Fisher Scientific)

The Clean Lab is a dedicated ISO 6 (Class 1,000) clean space equipped with HEPA-filtered air handling, polypropylene cabinetry, and non-metallic construction tailored for ultra-trace element and contamination-sensitive work. It features two fully exhausted polypropylene vertical laminar flow workstations (TFI) and one benchtop polypropylene laminar flow hood. The space includes:

• Ultra-pure water system (Arium Pro UV-TOC, Sartorius; type 1 water)
• Analytical balance (ME serie; Mettler Toledo)
• A Sorvall ST 8 benchtop centrifuge (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
• Corning Pyroceram glass-ceramic hotplates
• PFA digestion vessels, containers, and filtration apparatus (Savillex)

Analytical Instruments

☑️ iCAP TQ ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific) equipped with an automated high-throughput sample introduction system (ESI 2DX FAST) and housed within a polypropylene laminar-flow hood for minor and trace elemental analysis.

• The collision–reaction cell (CRC), combined with a wide range of reactive gases (e.g., H₂, O₂, NH₃) and He, enables effective removal of polyatomic and isobaric interferences in complex matrices. CRC interactions either eliminate interferences and allow on-mass analyte detection on Q3 or shift analyte m/z values for mass-shift mode detection. The iCAP TQ ICP-MS provides more than eleven orders of dynamic range and exceptional suppression of spectral interferences.
• The 2DX Autosampler (ESI) includes dual flowing rinse stations to minimize carryover, PFA probes, and operation within a polypropylene laminar-flow hood to maintain an ultra-clean environment.
• The FAST valve system (ESI) is a fully automated, high-throughput PFA sample introduction platform that uses rapid vacuum loading and valve injection to accelerate sample throughput and reduce memory effects and matrix loading—particularly critical for dissolved seawater analysis. A nice video explaining ESI FAST functionality can be seen here.
• The iCAP TQ ICP-MS is used for multi-element analysis of seawater, suspended particulate matter, sediments, and other environmental matrices.

For enquires about sample processing or elemental analysis using the iCAP TQ ICP-MS, please contact PI Colombo.

☑️ GC-IRMS

A Trace 1610 gas chromatograph (GC) interfaced through a GC IsoLink II with parallel combustion and high-temperature conversion reactors, coupled via a Conflo IV to a Delta Q isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS; Thermo Fisher Scientific).

• The system is equipped with an AS1610 autosampler (155 vials), a PTV-backflush injector, and a TraceGOLD TG-5SilMS GC column (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.25 µm film thickness).
• Enables precise δ¹³C and δD measurements of complex biomolecules such as fatty acids, alkanes, and other key organic compounds.
• It also supports δ¹⁵N analysis (e.g., amino acids).
• Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) provides powerful insight into organic matter sources, processing pathways, and degradation mechanisms in soils, sediments, and aquatic systems.

☑️ EA/GB-IRMS - Shared instrument housed in VIMS IRMS Lab

Delta-V advantage IRMS (Thermo Fisher Scientific) with dual inlet and Conflo IV interface configured for bulk isotope analyses via:

• Elemental Analyzer peripheral (EA; Costech ECS 4010 CHNS-O) for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of solid samples.
• GasBench II peripheral (GB; Thermo Fisher Scientific) for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of headspace gases and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC).
• For EA-IRMS analysis, a precisely weighed sample (acid-fumigated for δ¹³C-OC when appropriate) is encapsulated in tin or silver cups for quantitative combustion.
• GB-IRMS enables automated analysis of diverse gas samples and carbonates.

☑️ GC-FID

A Trace 1610 GC equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID; Thermo Fisher Scientific) for biomarker quantification.

• The system features an AS1610 autosampler (155 vials), an SSL injector, and a TraceGOLD TG-5SilMS GC column (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.25 µm film thickness).

For inquiries regarding GC-FID, GC-IRMS, EA-IRMS, or GB-IRMS analyses, please contact PI Colombo or Amanda Timmerman.

Additional Shared Analytical Instrumentation (VIMS Analytical Laboratory; 530 ft²) - The shared analytical facility includes additional instruments available for B.A.B. Lab research:

☑️ GC-MS - GC-single quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC MS; Agilent 5975 Turbo system) for mass spectral identification and quantification

☑️ EA - Elemental analyzer (Thermo Scientific; FlashSmart) for carbon and nitrogen analyses

☑️ TOC-LCSH / TNM-L - Total organic carbon and total nitrogen analyzer (Shimadzu) for dissolved organic carbon analysis

☑️ ASE system - Dionex 200 Accelerated Solvent Extraction

☑️ UV/Vis Spectrophotometers

☑️ Two Microbalances - XPR2 series (Mettler Toledo)

☑️ IRGA system - Infrared gas analyzer for DIC measurements

Sampling Gear and Equipment

The B.A.B. Lab is equipped with dedicated sampling devices for conducting research across a wide gradient of environments, sample matrices, and analytes/compounds:

☑️ Mini-Rosette - A small, lightweight, and trace-metal-clean mini rosette (General Oceanics), equipped with six Teflon-coated Go-Flo bottles (5 L), fluorometer, oxygen, turbidity, and CTD sensors (Idronaut), internal data-logging capabilities, and a programmable auto-firing system.

☑️ PTFE Air Pump system - Trace-metal clean surface water sampling (to 40 m) via pumping (Wilden) through polypropylene tubing.

☑️ Portable LFH - Polypropylene vertical laminar-flow hood (AirClean Systems, AC600 Series).

☑️ Water Samplers - One isokinetic horizontal Teflon-coated Niskin bottle (8 L) and two standard Niskin bottles (2.5 L).

☑️ Filtration Devices - Five stainless steel pressurized filtration units (⌀ 142 mm).

☑️ Portable RBR-Concerto CTD

B.A.B. Lab: In the Making

Behind the scenes in building the B.A.B. Lab: from scratch to a fully functional trace element and organic geochemistry facility. A big kudos to my amazing students for their hard work and dedication.