Main Geomicrobiology Lab in
E302 Howe-Russell Suite
 

The LSU Geomicrobiology & Environmental Microbiology Studies (GEMS) laboratories, in the E301/E302 Suite and E303 of the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, is a relatively new, state-of-the-art facility. The rooms have ~1800 sq ft total of work space. With other research groups in the department, the GEMS group shares access to two new instruments, a reagent-free IC and HPLC, which are located in E303. The group also uses space on the 1st floor for the -80 ^oC freezer (cryogenic storage).

The Main Lab has work space is for general microbiology (culturing and molecular preparations, autoclaving, hybridization, and storage). Main instruments include: a 6 ft Nuaire biological safety cabinet (class II type A2), Captair Toxicap 1200 ductless fume hood, AquaSolutions compact, type I ultra-low TOC biological grade DI systems (combination reverse osmosis plus UV sterilizer and filtration system), autoclave, chemical storage, and media and solution preparation (balance, pH meters, stir plates, etc.), and culturing instruments (shakers, water baths, etc.).

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pH meter and ion-selective probe (NO₃^-) meter;
logging software plots data right into Excel for you.
The meter is Internet ready to access an experiment

from off-campus.

Dry incubation or hybridization chamber. This is used for fluorescence in situ hybridization and for sample drying.

Several waterbaths for DNA extraction methods and for fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments.

Analytical balance; good to 0.001 g (other balances are available for larger or smaller samples).

Captair Toxicap1200 ductless fume hood for general lab purposes (not for really nasty stuff like HF or concentrated HCl or H₂SO₄; we do that downstairs).

Flammables are stored under the hood.

Nuaire biological safety cabinet (class II type A2) for
 general for microbiological culturing and molecular work.

AquaSolutions reverse osmosis
water system with UV sterilization and filtration.

Working with the fume hood to prepare
samples for SEM.

A dissecting microscope occasionally
is used in the lab, but is housed in another room.

Bench area to make media. Chemical storage shelves
 are in the background.

Some of the refrigerators and freezers. Chemical storage
shelves are on either side of the frig and freezer, with a book shelf holding lab reference material in the center.

More refrigerators and freezers. Large Tuttanaur autoclave at the
center left.

Hard at work... going through clone gels pictures.

Looking through center island into office and computing rooms.

Molecular Geomicrobiology Lab

in E302 Howe-Russell Suite
 

This lab space is for molecular work. 

Main instruments include MJ Research Dyad Disciple thermal cycler with dual gradient (alpha) blocks; electrophoresis equipment (large and small gel rigs with different power supplies); bench-top ice machine; microwave, gel photodocumentation system, UV transilluminator, and thermal printer with computer for image processing. Computer can also be used for phylogenetic and geochemical data analyses.

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UV transilluminator, thermal printer, camera and computer for gel photodocumentation.

Some of the available electrophoresis equipment, including
a microwave, votexers, and large and small gel rigs.

MJ Research Dyad thermal cycler with dual alpha
blocks (thermal gradient).

Ice maker.

Culturing and Gas Lab

in E302 Howe-Russell Suite
 

This lab space is for culturing, gas chromatography, and spectrophotometry.

Main equipment includes an SRI GC with FID, FPD, HID, and TCD detectors, with hydrogen generator, gas cylinders, a Coy anaerobic chamber, a Nanodrop spectrophotometer, and equipment for general shaking and baking. 

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The NanoDrop Spectophotometer is a powerful instrument in this lab that we use for measuring protein and DNA content. Only 1 ul of sample is required.

The GC also has it's own H2 gas generator.

Muffle furnace for baking glass sample bottles,
clay mineral analysis, and combusting carbon.

Large dry shaker that can incubate samples or
cultures up to 60 ^oC or as cold as 4 ^oC.
 

Geochemistry Instrumentation

in E303 Howe-Russell
 

This room suite is dedicated to aqueous geochemistry analytical equipment purchased on a grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Main instrumentation includes an upgraded1200 Series Agilent HPLC with autosampler and diode array (UV/VIS) and fluorescence detectors and a new Dionex ICS-3000 Reagent-Free Ion Chromatography System with a dual isocratic gradient RFIC pump, dual autosamplers, and dual conductivity detectors.

Agilent 1200 Series HPLC system.

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Dionex ICS-3000 Reagent-free ion chromatograph.

GEMS Group Field Geochemistry Equipment

We conduct field work in a variety of places (from caves, to high altitude hot springs, to the streets of San Antonio; see Research website). So, the LSU GEMS group has field equipment for a variety of purposes. Equipment includes GPS units, dataloggers, portable field meters for pH, conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature (as a range of combination meters). We also have a field spectophotometer to measure various dissolved ions, a CO₂ monitor, ISFET pH meter for soils, Biosystems PhD multigas monitor (H₂S, LEL, SO₂, and O₂), Toxipro H₂S monitor, water sample collection and filtration supplies (peristaltic and bladder pumps, with lots and lots tubing), respirators, caving helmets, lights, and other miscellaneous tools needed for intense field work.

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The lab has caving equipment (helmets, lights, vertical gear, and half-face mask respirators for working in sulfidic caves).

Filtering equipment, filters, and pumps can be used to
collect water samples anywhere in the world.

Various analytical equipment to measure geochemical
constituents in the water. The equipment and meters are
robust enough to use in muddy, quite uncomfortable places.

 And, the field equipment is light-weight so that it can be carried for long distances in a backpack.

          
The lab has different types of field meters and probes, depending on the need and type of environment that needs to be measured; Accumet pH meter (left) for more normal applications and IQ pH meter (right) with microelectrode for work in toxic settings.

For hot field work, like in Texas, the lab has shade...

In the Dept. Geology & Geophysics at LSU, other instruments and equipment are available to sample subsurface rocks and sediments, including water and core retrieval.

For some research needs, we work with state and local agencies (San Antonio Water System, Edwards Aquifer Authority) to get water samples.