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Murdock Research LaboratoryThe Murdock Research Laboratory housed in the Department of Geological Sciences hosts multiple state-of-the-art instruments and expertise in a range of analytical techniques. The facilities are open to researchers for collaborative or non-collaborative access and for commercial access. The expert academic, technical and professional staff support the facility users from initial contact and project development, through to sample preparation, instrument training, data processing and interpretation for publication. TrainingThe Process
Access to X-ray equipmentTo operate the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) or portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments users will need to watch the X-ray safety video, read the CWU Murdock Research Laboratory Radiation Safety Manual and complete the X-ray Instrumentation User Declaration before hands-on training on the X-ray instruments will begin. Sample Guidelines
Laboratory Environmental Health and SafetyInformation on Central Washington University’s health and safety requirements can be obtained from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) webpages. Entry to the Murdock Research Laboratory housed in Discovery Hall, room 310 requires all personal to be attired with fully enclosed shoes (no sandals or flip-flops), no high heels and fully covered legs (no shorts). No open beverages are allowed within the laboratory and there is a table provided outside for such items to be stored upon. No eating within the laboratory is allowed. Users must obey all posted EH&S notices and follow all standard operating procedures (SOP) in the MRL laboratories. Whenever a user is working with chemicals or waste, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn including: a lab coat, gloves and googles. All bulk acid work should be performed in the sample preparation area in the fume hood. Users who need to work with the liquid nitrogen need to undergo specific training and complete the Liquid Nitrogen User Declaration. Whenever working with liquid nitrogen appropriate PPE must be worn including: a lab coat, face shield and cryo-gloves. Within the Murdock Research Laboratory Discovery Hall, room 310, a safety shower and four eye-wash stations are provided. A first aid kit is located within the sample preparation area on the black shelves. The lab also contains a halon fire extinguisher which can be used on the instruments, as well as a fire blanket. Please notify Dr. Angela Halfpenny extension: x2826 (angela.halfpenny@cwu.edu), if any of the health and safety equipment is used, to ensure replacements can be provided in a timely fashion. For hazard information about the chemicals, products and gasses contained with the laboratories please consult the safety data sheets. Murdock Research Laboratory Terms and ConditionsWhile working in the Murdock Research Laboratory (MRL) in the Department of Geological Sciences, all users are required to comply with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) procedures as specified in the EH&S pages of the Central Washington University webpages. Users will obey all posted EH&S notices and follow all standard operating procedures (SOP) in the MRL laboratories. Only trained users will be able to book instrument time based on their certificate permissions and applicable fees will be charged for booked instrument time. Users must not interfere with any of the MRL instruments if they have not booked the time or are not certified to use the instrument by MRL staff. Users must also agree not to provide access to the MRL laboratories to unregistered users without the specific permission of MRL staff. For tours, classes or demonstrations suitable times need to be organized with the MRL staff in advance. If a user is conducting a tour through the MRL laboratories, the user is responsible for the EH&S of all tour participants and ensuring they are appropriately attired. Users are not allowed to train other users, whether they are registered or not. Users agree to report all instrument faults or irregularities to MRL staff. Users agree to accurately complete all record keeping required by the MRL to monitor the use of the instruments e.g. log books and booking systems. Samples are the responsibility of the user and MRL does not accept any responsibility for loss or damage of samples left at the facility. All samples should be adequately contained and easily identifiable via labels containing the researcher’s name, sample name, sample constitution (such as chemical formula or rock type) and any sample hazards (such as fibrous – inhalation risk). Users will need to bring a USB or external HDD to copy data from the instrument computers and MRL will periodically clear data off the instrument computers due to space restrictions. The computers operating the instruments are not to be used for surfing the internet. Post-processing PCs are provided in Discovery Hall, room 303 for performing data reduction and manipulation. Any work that is published or publicly presented where MRL instruments have been used should acknowledge the role of MRL and its staff (see the Acknowledgement section for exact wording). Failure to comply with any of these terms and conditions may result in the loss of access to the MRL laboratories. TechniquesThe laboratory contains a variety of techniques designed to collect high resolution images or measure the elemental concentrations or isotopes or crystallography of a wide range of samples. The techniques available can be split into two sampling categories: (1) instruments which can analyse Solid Samples and (2) instruments which can analyse Liquid Samples. Instruments to analyse Solid samplesZeiss Axio Automated Stage Optical Microscope:
FEI Quanta 250 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM):
Rigaku MiniFlex 600 Benchtop X-ray Diffractometer (XRD):
Bruker Tracer 5i Portable X-ray fluorescence device (XRF):
Agilent 8900 Triple Quad Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS) when used with the ESI New Wave Research NWR193 laser:
Netzsch STA449 Jupiter Simultaneous Thermal Analyser (STA):
Malvern Mastersizer 3000, choice of Hydro MV or LV Cell:
Retsch Technology Camsizer IIP4II:
CytoViva Hyperspectral Microscope:
Instruments to prepare Solid samplesESI MicroMill:
Frantz LB-1 and L-1:
Struers CitoVac:
Struers Accutom 100:
Struers Tegramin 30:
Buhler VibroMet 2:
Instrument to analyse Liquid samplesAgilent 8900 Triple Quad Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS) when used with Aglient SPS 4 Autosampler:
Agilent 5110 Inductively Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES):
Thermo Scientific Delta V Plus Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS):
Thermo Finnigan DeltaPlus XP Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS):
Picarro L2130-I Isotopic H2O Analyser:
Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-5000+ Ion Chromatography (IC):
Shimadzu TOC-L Total Organic Carbon (TOC):
Sunset Organic Carbon and Elemental Carbon (OCEC):
Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2):
Field EquipmentSmartPlane Freya:
DJI Phantom 2:
Sensors & Software pulseEKKO Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR):
Topcon OS Series Total Station:
Licor LI-8100A Soil Gas Flux Carbon Monitoring System:
Publication AcknowledgementPlease include the following statement in the acknowledgment section of every document which utilises data collected the from Central Washington University Murdock Research Laboratory: The authors acknowledge the use of facilities, plus the scientific and technical assistance of the instrument staff at the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Central Washington University, USA, a facility partially funded by the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. If the Agilent 5110 Inductively Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) has been used, please also include the following line in the acknowledgment: The authors also acknowledge NSF grant number 1626484 for funding the Agilent 5110 Inductively Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). Contact Us
Dr Angela Halfpenny
Engineering Technician Department of Geological Sciences Discovery Hall Office Room: 338 Office Phone Number: 509-963-2826 Email: angela.halfpenny@cwu.edu
Dr Christopher Mattinson
Department Chair Department of Geological Sciences Discovery Hall Office Room: 226 Office Phone Number: 509-963-1628 Email: christopher.mattinson@cwu.edu Murdock Research Laboratory is located in Discovery Hall Room 310 |
Dept of Geological Sciences /
Central Washington University /
400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Phone: (509) 963-2701 /
Fax: (509) 963-2821 /
Email: chair@geology.cwu.edu
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