Multi-User Analytical Laboratory
| Melissa B. Riley,
Director
Location: 207 Long Hall Mailing Address: |  |
Multi-user Analytical Laboratory: Clemson University
This Multi-User Analytical Laboratory was set up in 1990 to provide students, faculty and staff throughout Clemson University and especially in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences with access to equipment which may not be available in individual laboratories and may only be needed periodically and not be practical for individual laboratories to obtain and maintain.
Why Do We Need a Multi-user Analytical Laboratory?
Chemical analysis is important to many areas of research within Clemson University. For examples you only have to look at any newspaper or popular magazine. Articles are present everyday concerning the active ingredients of drugs and herbal products, problems of soil, water and air pollution, identification of microbial contaminants or disease causing agents, analysis of food products and safety of those products. All of these articles have been based on some type of chemical analysis. These types of chemical analysis as well as many other are the types of analysis which can be conducted utilizing the facilities associated with the Multi-User Analytical Laboratory. (See examples of current and previous research below.)
EQUIPMENT
Major equipment items presently associated with the laboratory include:
- Hewlett-Packard 5890 Gas chromatograph associated with Microbial Identification System and Mass Spectrometer
- Varian 3400 gas chromatograph with Saturn II Mass Spectrometer
- Varian 3400 gas chromatograph with Electron Capture and Flame Ionization Detectors
- Hewlett-Packard 1090 High pressure liquid chromatograph with diode array and fluorescent detectors
- Hewlett-Packard Capillary electrophoresis unit with diode array detector
- BioRad GS-710 Calibrated Imaging Densitometer
- Jasco V-550 UV/Vis spectrophotometer
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LABORATORY
The missions of Clemson University is to fulfill the covenant between its founder and the people of South Carolina to establish a `high seminary of learning' through its land-grant responsibilities of teaching, research, and extended public service. In keeping with the mission of the university as well as the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences the Multi-User Analytical laboratory has activities that involves the three focal areas of Clemson University - research, teaching and public service. The laboratory is to prepare students for productive careers through the teaching activities, conduct basic and applied research that expands out knowledge base and improves productivity, natural resource utilization, and environmental protection, and provide answers for the extension and outreach educational programs. Each of these areas are vital and necessary for achieving the mission of Clemson University.
RESEARCH
Research projects provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student, faculty, and technical staff to investigate the usage of analytical techniques and equipment to answer numerous questions in their individual research projects. Some of the current projects are summarized below:
- Pesticide analysis of water samples and potting mix components to determine the runoff potential in ornamental nursery operations where pesticides are extensively used investigating the effects of grassed waterways and pulse irrigation systems for the reduction of pesticide runoff.
- Analysis of fatty acids extracted from soils associated with different crop rotation schemes for determination of microbial community associated with soils.
- Analysis of ground beef from various strains of cattle on different feeding regimes for the determination of their effect on saturated and unsaturated fatty acid content.
- Analysis of bacteriocin isolated from Propionibacterium jensenii.
- Analysis of water samples containing various pesticides related to the development of new procedures for extraction of pesticides in water - associated with Southern Regional Project.
- Analysis of fatty acid utilizing mass spectrometry for the determination of enzyme specificity related to double bond incorporation.
- Identification of microbial isolates associated with the plant problem clinic using gas chromatograph/microbial identification system.
- Analysis of fatty acid from fungi for the development of the usage of Microbial Identification software/system for the identification of species/subspecies of Phytophthora spp.
- Extraction and analysis of fluranthene and phenanthrene degradation products from bacterial cultures.
- Quantitation/comparison of fatty acids isolated from bacterial cultures grown at various cultural conditions.
- Analysis of berberine from plants grown in tissue culture.
- Identification of various pathogenic isolates of Propionibacterium acnes, P. avidum and P. granulosum utilizing fatty acid profiles which are being tested for the effect of the bactericin produced by Propionibacterium jensenii.
- Analysis of ginkolides from plant tissue associated with tissue cultured plantlets.
- Identification of bacterial aerobes and anaerobes associated with the bacterial wetwood disease complex of oak.
- Identification of microbial degradation products of the fungicide metalaxyl.
- Analysis of gibberellins and its relationship of phytochrome and gibberellins in rice.
- Identification of bacterial isolates associated with wood samples from Chili containing green stain phenomenon.
- Analysis of plant extracts for hypericin and pseudohypericin the active components of St John's Wort.
- Analysis of fire ant baits for possible contamination by other insecticides and cigarette smoke.
- Identification of microbial isolates from gravel remediation beds in which isoxaben was applied to determine the change in microbial populations as affected by the herbicide.
- Identification of microbial isolates from cotton bolls affected with lock boll syndrome.
- Assessment of microbial communities associated with solar pasteurization of peach tree short life sites.
- Assessment of microbial communities associated with potting mix which contain a rhizosphere community compared with no rhizosphere after treatment with herbicide.
TEACHING
Teaching activities involve various classes being able to use current analytical equipment in laboratories. Classes utilizing the facilities include General Biochemistry (Bioch 301), Soil Microbiology (Micro 410), Bacterial Plant Pathogens (PlPa 451), and Physiological Techniques in Plant Pathology (PlPa 809). PlPa 809 offered during the Spring Semester of odd years and at other times at the request of students utilizes the facilities throughout the semester of the course. This course provides both theory and practice with current techniques of separation science. Experience is gained with extraction, isolation and characterization of chemical compounds using techniques such as thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, high pressure liquid chromatography and electrophoresis. It is primarily designed as a hands-on experience course.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Public service activities often involve the identification of microbial organisms such as those causing plant diseases and the extraction and identification of pesticides in various sample matrixes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For information related to usage of
equipment located in the Multi-User Analytical facility contact:
Dr. Melissa B. Riley
Department of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences
120 Long Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0315
Phone: 864-656-0580 or FAX: 864-656-0274
E-Mail: mbriley@clemson.edu
