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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES LABORATORY (LCA)
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The Environmental Sciences Laboratory (LCA) is a support laboratory dedicated to the chemical manipulation and basic characterization of environmental samples, which are studied in the Sirius beamlines. The laboratory is classified as Biosafety Level 1 (BSL1) and is divided into three areas: the main one is dedicated to chemical manipulations and the two other auxiliary laboratories are facilities for specific applications: one for handling soil and rocks, and another for the cultivation of bacteria and other microorganisms of low pathogenicity, previously isolated.

The LCA is located on axis 38, next to the Carnaúba beamline, and it is a facility for environmental simulations, plant growth, soil, and rock manipulation, cryo-preservation, and manipulation of low pathogenicity environmental microorganisms.

 

General view of the LCA (project).

 

CONTACT & STAFF

Coordination:  Verônica C. Teixeira

Tel. : +55 19 3517 5081

E-mail: veronica.teixeira@lnls.br

FACILITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES LABORATORY

The main LCA area is a chemical laboratory dedicated to the handling and preparation of environmental samples, such as: fossils, plants, soils, rocks, among others. This laboratory disposes of supplies and infrastructure for chemical and thermal manipulations, plant growth and film preparation. For this, the LCA is equipped with:

  • Fume hoods for exhaustion equipped with different gas lines (N2, Air, compressed air);
  • Plant growth chamber with atmosphere and humidity control, and lighting cycles for day and night simulation;
  • Cryopreservation (ultrafreezer up to -86ºC, freezer and refrigerator);
  • Heating (muffle up to 1200°C, general purpose oven up to 250°C, and microwave oven);
  • Ultra water purifier;
  • Baths (ultrasonic and dry bath);
  • Stirrers/separators (magnetic stirrer with heating, vortex for microtubes, and mini-centrifuge);
  • Balances: analytical (0.1 mg) and precision (0.01 g);
  • Autoclave;
  • Spincoater;
  • High precision hotplate;
  • Radiometer (254, 312 and 365 nm);

General view of the main LCA area

POROUS MATERIALS ANALYSIS LABORATORY

The Porous Materials Analysis Laboratory (LAMP) is dedicated to the soils and rock samples preparation for studying in the Sirius beamlines. The LAMP main purpose is being a facility for understanding the soil compaction dynamics, porosity, water retention and extraction, under different pressure conditions. For this, LAMP is equipped with:

  • Pressure chamber (0 to 15 bar);
  • Stereomicroscope;
  • General purpose oven (up to 250°C);
  • Precision balance (0.01 g)

Figure 3: General view of LAMP (projection).

 

First equipment installed at LAMP.

 

BACTERIA CULTIVATION LABORATORY

The Bacteria Cultivation Laboratory (LCB) is dedicated to the cultivation and manipulation of microorganisms, which are previously isolated from the environment and present low pathogenicity. The LCB is equipped with:

  • Biosafety cabins;
  • Vortex for microtubes;
  • Incubators: refrigerated (-10 to 60°C) and non-refrigerated (10-60°C) ones.

General view of the LCB (projection)

First equipment installed at LCB.