Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the scientific and engineering programs at Argonne National Laboratory and specialized analysis for government, academic, and industrial organizations.
Our analytical services and research comprise inorganic, radiochemical, organic, microstructural chararacterization, and environmental analyses and studies.
The ACL provides certain services at no cost. Free services include:
- Discussion of Methods and Instrument Capabilities: We offer advice for sample handling and assist in the assessment of the best methods of analysis for particular sample or research needs. The ACL has a professional staff that will give free advice on the alternative ways to solve your analysis problems.
- Collaborative Work on Proposals and Marketing: If a proposal involves analytical work, ACL staff can provide an estimate of the time and cost of that part of your project. We can also help write the analytical chemistry portion of the proposal. This free service should result in a better proposal, thereby improving its chances of being funded. If you are trying to obtain funding for a research project that would use ACL services, let us help you sell it. We can also provide laboratory tours to your sponsors or prospective sponsors.
- Estimates and Planning: Save time and money by working with ACL before submitting a sample.
We handle a wide range of analytical problems, from routine standard analyses to unique problems that require significant development of methods and techniques.
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory services are available to Argonne
organizations through a
ANL-80, Request for Technical Services for ACL, and to academic,
governmental, and private-sector organizations through
Technical Service Agreements.
Inorganic Analysis
Wet-chemical and instrumental methods for elemental, compositional and isotopic analysis of solid, liquid and gaseous samples
- Ion chromatography (IC)
- Inductively coupled plasma/atomic emission spectrometry (ICP/AES)
- Inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS)
- Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)
- Carbon, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen analysis
- Autotitration
- Cold vapor atomic absorption mercury analysis
Microstructural Characterization
Microstructural and compositional analysis of a wide variety of materials, including some radioactive samples
- X-ray diffraction
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
- Optical microscopy
SEM User Facility
- Two SEM instruments with EDS systems
- Available by the hour or half day
Radiochemical Analysis
Nuclear counting techniques over a wide range of sample types, from low-radioactivity environmental samples to samples with high radioactivity requiring containment
- Gamma spectrometry
- Alpha spectrometry
- Gross alpha and beta analysis
- Liquid scintillation counting
- Inorganic analysis of radioactive materials via ICP/AES or IC
Organic Analysis
Complementary techniques for separation and quantitative analysis of trace-level complex organic mixtures and compounds
- Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
- Supercritical fluid extraction
- Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy with Raman spectrometry
- PCB analysis
Environmental Characterization
Waste materials and environmental samples
- pH, cyanides, mercury, conductivity, reactive sulfides, flashpoint, PCBs, volatiles and semi-volatiles, pesticides, radionuclides, etc.
- TCLP (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure)
- Assistance with Argonne National Laboratory Waste Disposal Forms
Recent Projects
- Use of the ORIGEN2 Code to Determine Isobaric Compositions in the Analysis of Spent Fuel by ICP-MS
- Analysis of Simulated Headspace Gases for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
- ICP-OES Method for Material Accountancy Measurements
- Application of MARLAP to Validation and Verification of Existing Data
- Distribution Coefficient Measurements of Radionuclides in Soils
- Isotopic Analysis of High-Burnup Spent Nuclear Fuel
- Plutonium Metal Exchange Program
- Tritium Target Qualification Project
- Switchable Neutron Source Development
For More Information
Vivian S. Sullivan, Ph.D., Manager
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Ave., Bldg. 205
Argonne, IL 60439, phone (630) 252-1890, fax
(630) 972-4518, e-mail sullivan@cmt.anl.gov. ACL Office
phone (630) 252-4379, fax
(630) 252-5655.
Argonne Only Information
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