Environmental Research Laboratory

The Center for the Environment’s Environmental Research Laboratory provides freshwater analysis services to university research programs and to state, federal and local environmental monitoring programs.

Through a partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), the Environmental Research Laboratory supports NHDES Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) and Volunteer River Assessment Program (VRAP) and serves as a satellite NHDES laboratory facility. We routinely receive samples from VLAP and VRAP volunteers, conduct analysis of these samples, and report the results to NHDES and the volunteers. We offer a convenient location for North Country and Lakes Region VLAP and VRAP groups to bring their samples for analysis. Please call us to coordinate your needs for the 2009 sampling season!

Services

The laboratory follows EPA and/or NHDES approved analytical protocols on all analyses including:

• Closed cell pH and air-equilibrated pH
• Acid neutralizing capacity (ANC)
• Conductivity, turbidity, and apparent color
• Total phosphorus
• E. coli
• Chlorophyll-a
• Cations and anions, including phosphate, fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, nitrite, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and ammonium

Equipment

The Boyd Science Center has a suite of high precision analytical instruments including:

• Dionex ICS-2000 Ion Chromatography system for simultaneous determination of anions and cations.
• Radiometer Analytical TIM860 Titration Manager for automated ANC and air-equilibrated pH analyses.
• Lachat Instruments QuikChem® QC8500 Flow Injection Analyzer with in-line digestion module for automated analysis of total phosphorus.
• Varian 240Z Graphite Furnace and SpectAA 55 Flame AA for metals analysis at both ppm and ppb scales.

Technical Assistance

Our laboratory staff can provide technical assistance and water quality sampling equipment to volunteer monitoring programs. Please call (603)535-3269 for more information.

Location

Our facility in Room 205, Boyd Science Center at 23 Highland Street, Plymouth is centrally located near I-93, ideal to serve volunteer lake and river monitoring programs in the North Country and Lakes Region.

• Directions to Campus
• Map of PSU Campus (pdf)

Lab Hours

Please call (603) 535-3269 for the lab hours.

Price List

We offer our laboratory services at competitive prices. Please call details and ask for VLAP and VRAP package prices.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact us:

• Phone: (603) 535-3269
• Fax: (603) 535-3004