Lab Question Options

[J Wells]

Crum-

Just wondering if you could give a little info on the lab set-up at Toolik Lake. With researchers working on so many different projects, do they have instruments like GC/MS (for VOC's and SVOC's) and Auto Analyzers (for colorimetric analysis of minerals) that they share? I know that some of those instruments tend to be very sensitive to lab conditions, so is it climate controlled? If you get a chance before leaving will you snap a few pictures of the lab?

Thanks,

Justin

[Tom_Crumrine]

Justin,

I'm such an idiot! I don't know why I didn't take some pictures of it before I left. Because we weren't doing much lab stuff other than weighing things--I just didn't think of it.

Basically though the labs are double wide trailers or large weatherports. We were in one of the trailers. It has running water, power, internet, fume hood, chemicals cabinets and offices. Everything you would need for a lab. Any equipment that is needed is brought in as carefully as possible so things like a GC are there--they just hope that they work when they arrive.

I guess I didn't take a picture of it because it was so much like any other lab I have ever been in. Now that I think of it though--having a lab like that 150 miles away from the nearest store is pretty cool. It also must have taken tons of time and money to set up.

Crum