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ANALYTICS CLUSTER
NEWRI's state-of-the-art laboratories house an extensive range of high-end experimental and analytical facilities which render strong support to NEWRI's domains of research activities. Our cutting-edge analytical facilities cover a wide span of instruments, from
- Chromotography and Spectroscopy
- Imaging & Cell Analysis
- Automated Sample Preparation
Analytics Cluster (high-end) Equipment Catalog
For further information, complete list of available facilities,
Central Equipment Booking System (CEBS): Please click here
Enquiries on access of facility and charges, please email Dr Mabel Lv (yunbo.lv@ntu.edu.sg)
Chromatography
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)
GC-MS is suitable for separation and determination of volatile substances in complex sample matrixes, e.g. environmental samples, biological samples, pharmaceutical samples and food samples. GC-MS coupled with various sample introduction modules e.g. purge and trap, headspace, thermal desorption and pyrolyzer is also available in NEWRI.
Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography –QQQ Mass Spectrometer (UPLC-QQQ)
UPLC-QQQ couples the power of a triple quadrupole mass analyser with the ultra-high separation efficiency of UPLC system. Its superior sensitivity allows detection and accurate quantification of known analytes at trace level (down to ppb to sub-ppb level) in complex matrixes.
Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography –QTOF Mass Spectrometer (UPLC-QTOF)
UPLC-QTOF couples the power of a quadrupole-time of flight mass analyser with the ultra-high separation efficiency of UPLC system. It is capable of measuring accurate mass and thus suitable for screening unknown samples, e.g. metabolomics, food and environment samples, or pharmaceuticals etc.
Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
GPC is used for separation and analysis of compounds on basis of molecular size. The GPC in NEWRI features multiple detectors – UV detector, RI detector, light scattering detector and viscometer. It is suitable for various applications, such as determination of membrane Molecular-Weight-Cut-Off and detailed NOM investigation in water.
Liquid Chromatography –Organic Carbon Detection – Organic Nitrogen Detection (LC-OCD-OND)
LC-OCD-OND is capable for identification and quantification of natural organic matter (NOM) constituents in aquatic environments and water-soluble synthetic organic matter in technical waters. This system incorporates not only an OCD detector but also a UV detector (UVD) and an organic nitrogen detector (OND). It is suitable for applications such as NOM investigation in drinking water, wastewater and marine waters, and quality control monitoring of ultra-pure water used in power plants etc.
Spectroscopy
Fluorescence Spectrometer
Fluorescence spectrometer is useful to analyse fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemi/bio-luminescence and time resolved phosphorescence of a sample depending on the properties of the sample. It is also able to analyse excitation emission matrix to characterize dissolved organic matter in water and soil. This instrument is suitable for both liquid and solid samples.
Raman Spectrometer
Raman spectrometer is useful to identify molecules and study chemical bonding in a sample. Raman provides a fingerprint to identify molecules because vibrational frequencies are specific to a molecule’s chemical bonds and symmetry. The raman spectrometer in NEWRI has confocality function to view samples. This instrument is suitable for both liquid and solid samples.
FTIR Spectrometer
FTIR is used to obtain infrared spectrum of a sample in liquid or solid form. Infrared spectrum can help to identify the functional groups attached to a substance. FTIR is widely used in organic synthesis, polymer science, petrochemical engineering, pharmaceutical industry and food analysis.
UV-Vis Spectrometer
UV-Vis spectrometer utilizes ultraviolet and visible light to analyse the chemical structure of a substance. UV-Vis can be used to obtain absorption spectrum of a sample and determine the lambda max. It is also often used for quantitative determination of different substances, such as transition metal ions, highly conjugatedorganic compounds, and biological macromolecules
Elemental analysis
Inductive Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
ICP-MS is an analytical technique used for determination of metal and several non-metal elements. The ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) source converts the atoms of the elements in the sample to ions. These ions are then separated and detected by the mass spectrometer. The superior sensitivity of ICP-MS allows quantification of elements down to ppb to sub-ppb level.
CHNS Elemental Analyzer (CHNS)
CHNS is an organic elemental analyzer for simultaneous determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur. The sample is fed into the analyzer, which undergoes combustion and reduction to form CO2, H2O, N2 and SO2 gases. The gases (CO2, H20 and SO2) are trapped on dedicated adsorption columns and desorb one at a time, while N2 travels directly to the thermal conductivity detector. Suitable samples for analysis include soil, sediment, sludge, solid waste, polymers and biomass.
Total Organic Carbon / Total Nitrogen Analyser (TOC/TN)
TOC/TN analyser is used for analysis of TOC/TN in a sample by converting the sample to CO2 and NOx. The conversion is effected by high temperature combustion technology with the aid of a catalyst. The analyser is capable of measurement of both liquid and solid samples, e.g. wastewater, sludge, soil, biomass, at TOC concentration down to ppb level.
Ion Chromatography (IC)
Ion chromatography is used for separation and quantitative analysis of anions and cations in a solution. It is commonly used in water research to analyse anions e.g. F-, Cl-, NO2-, Br-, NO3-, SO42-, PO43-, acetate, propionate, formate, or cations e.g. NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+ and Na+.
Microscopy
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
TEM is capable of imaging samples at significantly higher resolutions than light microscopy down to the atomic level. It provides information about the materials such as morphology, chemical information and phase contrasts. TEM is often used in analysing physical, chemical and biological samples such as membrane topography and microbial samples.
Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM)
FESEM is used to visualize nano-scale topographical details on surfaces or cross-sectional areas, with no limitations on sample thickness or depth. Examples of FESEM application include studying cell DNA materials, polymers, and coatings on membranes or semiconductors.
Laser Confocal Microscope
CLSM captures fluorescence information from samples’ fluorophores and combines it with high-resolution optical imaging and depth selectivity. It allows for visualization of sections of extremely small structures and 3D structures can be constructed. CSLM is often used for imaging biofilm structures, membrane and ion probes, and bioluminescent proteins.
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
AFM is useful for characterizing sample surfaces at the nano-scale, such as membrane surface modifications, biofilms and nanoparticles. In addition to surface characteristics of a sample, additional properties can also be revealed depending on the mode used e.g. Force-Distance curve, stickiness of biofilms, membrane characteristics in liquid.
Specialised equipment
Capillary Flow Porometer
In capillary flow porometer, a non-toxic wetting liquid is allowed to fill the pores in the sample and a non-reacting gas is allowed to displace liquid from pores. From this measurement, the maximum pore size, mean flow pore size and the minimum pore size of a sample can be investigated. It is used in various applications within filtration, textiles and paper industries.
SurPASS
SurPASS electrokinetic analyzer determines the zeta potential of macroscopic solids or surfaces based on a streaming potential and streaming current measurement. The zeta potential is related to the surface charge at a solid/liquid interface and is a powerful indicator for the surface chemistry (pH titration) and liquid-on-solid surface adsorption processes.
Goniometer
The goniometer is a device for contact angle measurements and drop shape analysis. The contact angle gives information about the wettability of a solid surface by a liquid. Surface free energy & interfacial tension between phases can also be measured with this instrument.
Rheometer
The rheometer is used for the measurements of flow behaviour of fluids including materials with complex structures, such as sludges, polymers and suspensions. It can apply either rotational or oscillatory motion to materials to determine their viscoelastic properties as well as flow properties.
Zetasizer
The Zetasizer is used for the measurement of the size, electrophoretic mobility of proteins, zeta potential of colloids and nanoparticles, and optionally the measurement of protein mobility and micro-rheology of protein and polymer solutions. It uses electrophoretic light scattering for particles, molecules and surfaces, and a molecular weight analyzer using static light scattering.