Trent Water Quality Centre

Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
What the facility does

Specialized environmental analytical services, including method development, chemical analyses, research and training

Areas of expertise

The Trent Water Quality Centre is a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry (MS) laboratory that specializes in method development and the application of new and innovative techniques for measuring isotopes and trace amounts of organic and inorganic contaminants in water, biological material, sediments, soils, fly ash, municipal waste waters, industrial by-products and process waters.

Research services

Analysis of trace elements (e.g. As, Fe, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, U, REEs) in water and solids by ICP-MS; stable and radiogenic isotope ratios (e.g. Si, Sr, Hg, U,Pb, Zn) by multicollector ICP-MS; organic contaminants (e.g. estrogens, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, PFOA, PFOS, opioids) by LC-MS; biological metabolites by LC-MS and FT-ICR MS; stable isotope analysis (13C,15N, 18O, 2H) by continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS); compound-specific isotope analysis using GC-CF-IRMS.

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Chemical industries
  • Clean technology
  • Defence and security industries
  • Education
  • Energy (renewable and fossil)
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
  • Forestry and forest-based industries
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Mining, minerals and metals
  • Utilities

Specialized facility

Equipment

Function

High-Precision Isotope Ratio Instrumentation

Nu Instruments Nu Plasma-2

A high-resolution multi-collector ICP-MS for high precision (RSD <0.001%) isotope ratios of metals, for e.g. Cd, Pb, Fe, Zn

High-Precision Isotope Ratio Instrumentation

Nu Instruments Nu 1700

A large scale high-resolution multi-collector ICP-MS, offering a no-compromise approach to achieve high mass resolution

High-Precision Isotope Ratio Instrumentation

Nu Horizon Continuous Flow-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (CF-IRMS)

For the analysis of δ13C and δ15N as well as %C and %N in all types of solid samples

High-Sensitivity Elemental and Speciation Instrumentation

Nu AttoM HR-ICP-MS

A high-resolution magnetic sector ICP-MS used to analyze ultra-trace-level abundances (ppt and lower) of metals

High-Sensitivity Elemental and Speciation Instrumentation

Thermo XSeries-2 ICP-MS

A quadrupole ICP-MS with collision cell technology that is particularly useful for the detection of transition metals

High-Sensitivity Elemental and Speciation Instrumentation

Agilent 8800 ICP-QQQ-MS

Capable of MS/MS, gives exact control over reactions in the collision/reaction cell; superior resolution of interferences

High-Sensitivity Elemental and Speciation Instrumentation

Teledyne Leeman  Prodigy-7 ICP-OES

Next generation dual-view optical ICP spectrometer used for elemental detection of concentrations ranging from ppb to %

Organic and Organo-Metallic Molecular Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation

Thermo QExactive Hybrid Orbitrap-Ion Trap HR LC-MS/MS

For quantitative/qualitative applications with a resolving power of 140K and mass accuracy of <1 ppm

Organic and Organo-Metallic Molecular Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation

AB Sciex 5500 QTrap LC-MS/MS

A hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap used for  quantitation of trace organic contaminants and targeted metabolomics

Organic and Organo-Metallic Molecular Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation

Bruker SolariX-XR FTICR

Combines extreme resolution (up to 106) and <1 ppm mass accuracy to determine empirical formulas of unknowns in samples

Organic and Organo-Metallic Molecular Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation

Thermo ISQ GC-MS

A gas chromatography-single quadrupole mass spectrometer for the analysis of semi-volatile and volatile analytes

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Dionex solvent extractor

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Sartorius SE2 microbalance

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Brooks Rand MeHg analyzer

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

DSL sub-boiling stills (2)

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Ethos microwave extraction system

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

APEX and ARIDUS desolvators 

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Ion chromatography (IC)

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Liquid chromatography (HPLC)

 

Preparatory and Separation Instrumentation

Hydride generation (HG)

 

  • Cameco Corp.
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)