Northern Analytical Laboratory Services (NALS)

University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia
What the facility does

Provides research and analytical testing services for material and environmental samples to the UNBC and Northern BC communities and beyond.

Areas of expertise

The Northern Analytical Laboratory Services (NALS) is home to an extensive suite of analytical science instrumentation including but not limited to XRD, XRF, TGA, DSC, DMA, SEM, HPL-MS, CG-MS, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, CNHS analyzer, IC, Particle size analyzers, BET,IR-MS,  FTIR, NMR, that enables a broad spectrum of material, environmental, biological, chemical and physical analyses. These services are available to the UNBC researchers, private, public and non-profit sectors to help meet their testing, and research/development needs. 

Research services

The Northern Analytical Laboratory Services (NALS) provides R&D testing services in different areas including but not limited to soil, minerals, sediments, catalysts, adsorbents, water and waste water, air pollution.

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Chemical industries
  • Clean technology
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
  • Forestry and forest-based industries
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Mining, minerals and metals
  • Ocean industries
Specialized facility  Equipment  Function
Material Testing Lab XRD X-ray Diffraction mineral/material /soil analysis
  XRF X-Ray Fluoresce mineral/material/soil analysis
  TGA Thermogravimetric analysis
  DSC Differential scanning calorimetry
  DMA Differential mechanical analysis
  BET Surface area and pore size analysis
  Master sizer Particle size analysis
  SEM Scanning electron microscope, morphology analysis
  Combustion elemental analyzers (EA) C, N, S, H elemental analysis
  FTIR Fourier transform infrared spectrometer
  NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis
Environmental testing lab ICP-OES Elemental analysis
  ICP-MS Trace elemental analysis
  IC Ion-exchange chromatography, Anion measurement
  GC-FID/MS Gas chromatography
  HPLC-MS High performance liquid chromatography
  LA-ICP-MS Lase ablation ICP-MS
   TOC/TIC Total organic / total inorganic analyzer
 

Isotopic ratio mass spectrometer (IR-MS)

 

13C/12C, 15N/14N, and 18O/16O, 34S/32S

 

  IDEXX Bacteriological testing

E. coli and total coliform in water

 

  • University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO)
  • Thompson Rivers University (TRU)
  • University of Havana, Cuba
  • Canadian Zeolite Company (CZC)
  • CANFOR Pulp and Paper
  • UNBC Wood Innovation Research Lab (WIRL)