The Particle Size and Surface Charge Lab at the Department of Geology and Geophysics is a facility dedicated to measuring the size distributions of suspended particles from 1 nanometer (nm) up to 1 millimeter (mm).
In addition to particle size, the instrumentation available is capable of specialized analyzes from which the size of a particle is used. These specialized analyzes include electrophoretic mobility, zeta(ζ) potential, particle surface charge, distributed shape analysis and others.
The instrumentation in the Particle Light-Scattering and Surface Charge Lab falls under two categories which correspond to their size ranges and capabilities.
1nm - 1µm
Wyatt DynaPro NanoStar (DLS) - Dynamic laser light scattering (DLS) or Quasi-Elastic Light Scattering is a method for determining the hydrodynamic radius distribution of a solution containing suspended particles from less than 1nm up to around 1µm.
Wyatt Mobiuζ (DLS-PALS) - DLS with capability to measure mobility of particles using Doppler effect, which can
be used to calculate zeta potential and surface charge of a particle population from
1nm up to around 1µm.
Wyatt DAWN Heleos II (MALS)
PostNova Analytics Field-Flow Fractometer (FFF)
1µm – 5mm
Sympatec HELOS KF - Laser diffractometer with fixed optics and dynamically focusing detector array for measuring
particles from just below 1 micrometer up to 600 micrometers.
Sympatec QICPIC - Real time optical image analyzer with 450hz camera for measuring particle sizes from
3 micrometers up to around 5 millimeters, which can also do additional analyzes relating
to aspect ratio and shape of the particles (such as sphericity).
The lab also has a Shimadzu TOC-L/SSM system for measuring total carbon in solution and solids, as well as a Brooks-Rand MERX system for measuring total and methylated mercury content in solution and solids.
|
FFF-MALS-DLS |
Cost Per Hour |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wages | ||
| Technician | $34.00 | $70,000 per year (salary and benefits) |
| Technician Rebate (after training) | $17.00 | Supervision is strict but decreases to 50% after orientation. This rebate provided for advanced users only following training |
| Expendables | ||
| FFF pumps | $5.00 | Pump repair $5000/1000 hrs |
| FFF tubing and reservoirs | $0.50 | Tubing and reservoir replacement |
| MALS | $1.00 | Laser $5000 @ 5,000 hrs |
| DLS | $1.00 | Laser $5000 @ 5,000 hrs |
| $/hr Internal User Trained | $24.50 | Trained = 5 or more hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr Internal User Untrained | $41.50 | Untrained = less than 5 hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr External User Trained | $36.75 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
| $/hr External User Untrained | $62.25 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
|
NanoStar (Static DLS) |
Cost Per Hour |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wages | ||
| Technician | $34.00 | $70,000 per year (salary and benefits) |
| Technician Rebate (after training) | $17.00 | Supervision is strict but decreases to 50% after orientation. This rebate provided for advanced users only following training |
| Expendables | ||
| Laser | $1.00 | Laser $5000 @ 5,000 hrs |
| Cuvettes | $4.00 | Assuming five samples per hour, $80/100 Eppendorff plastic, Quartz cuvette = $1275 for 1600 hours |
| Syringe filter | $4.00 | Rinse water needs fine filter. Assume one used per run. Assume typical run 2 hours. $8 per filter (Whatman part 6809-1012 0.1 micron Anotop 10 mm syringe filters) |
| Syringes | $1.00 | Assuming five samples per hour Fisher - 14-817-28 - 5 mL (6 mL) NORM-JECT Luer centric syringes, 100/pack, 20 pack $353. =$0.2 per syringe assume 5 syringes per hour |
| $/hr Internal User Trained | $27.00 | Trained = 5 or more hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr Internal User Untrained | $44.00 | Untrained = less than 5 hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr External User Trained | $40.50 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
| $/hr External User Untrained |
$66.00 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
|
Mobiuζ (Electrophoretic Mobility) |
Cost Per Hour |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wages | ||
| Technician | $34.00 | $70,000 per year (salary and benefits) |
| Technician Rebate (after training) | $17.00 | Supervision is strict but decreases to 50% after orientation. This rebate provided for advanced users only following training |
| Expendables | ||
| Laser | $4.00 | Laser $20000 @ 5,000 hrs |
| Syringe filter | $4.00 | Rinse water needs fine filter. Assume one used per run. Assume typical run 2 hours. $8 per filter (Whatman part 6809-1012 0.1 micron Anotop 10 mm syringe filters) |
| Syringes | $1.00 | Assuming five samples per hour Fisher - 14-817-28 - 5 mL (6 mL) NORM-JECT Luer centric syringes, 100/pack, 20 pack $353. =$0.2 per syringe assume 5 syringes per hour |
| Flow Cell | $6.00 | $6000 @ 1000 hours |
| $/hr Internal User Trained | $32.00 | Trained = 5 or more hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr Internal User Untrained | $49.00 | Untrained = less than 5 hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr External User Trained | $48.00 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
| $/hr External User Untrained | $73.50 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
|
HELOS KF and QICPIC (laser diffraction and optical analysis) |
Cost Per Hour |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wages | ||
| Technician | $34.00 | $70,000 per year (salary and benefits) |
| Technician Rebate (after training) | $17.00 | Supervision is strict but decreases to 50% after orientation. This rebate provided for advanced users only following training |
| Cleaning | $34.00 | Cleaning by technician is a mandatory single charge for every instrument use. This is an hourly charge, which for most analyzes is 1 hour, but can be up to 2 hours for particulate heavy or high TDS samples. |
| Expendables | ||
| Laser | $2.50 | Laser $5000 @ 2,000 hrs |
| Optical Glass | $2.00 | Glass $1000 @ 500 hrs |
| Cuvette Windows | $2.00 | Cuvette windows $1000 @ 500 hrs |
| Peristaltic Pump | $1.00 | $1000 @ 1000 hrs |
| Mandatory Cleaning Fee (1 hr) | $34 | Mandatory fee added to hourly fee below |
| $/hr Internal User Untrained (Assisted) |
$58.50 |
Untrained = less than 5 hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr Internal User Trained | $41.50 |
Trained = 5 or more hours usage within 2-month period |
| $/hr External User Untrained (Assisted) |
$87.75 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
| $/hr External User Trained | $62.25 | External includes 0.5x surcharge |
To schedule analyzes or instrument time, contact Professor W.P. Johnson (william.johnson@utah.edu, 801-664-8289) or Christopher Anderson (christopher.r.anderson@utah.edu.) Please attach a signed user agreement as well requested dates to facilitate scheduling on the instrument use calendar.
User Agreement Form