SERVICES
Our infrastructure

SPECTROMETERS
- more than 10 individual spectrometers

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICS
- inorganic analysis and analysis of micropollutants, isotopic analysis

RADIOANALYTICS
- nuclear environmental analysis
- emission and environmental monitoring activities
- determination of alpha, beta, gamma radionuclides

DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
- serving specific industrial needs
- innovation, creativity, development
- own electronics and mechanical workshop background
Instrumentation
Spectrometers
With more than ten– unique mass spectrometers, our isotope and elemental analysis centre provides a world-class research and service environment for industrial and scientific communities.


EnvironMICADAS AMS accelerator mass spectrometer and preparatory laboratory for radiocarbon measurements
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In addition to the many advantages of the Mini Carbon Dating System (MICADAS) AMS, currently the only one available in our country, based on accelerator mass spectrometry isotope separation, it is worth mentioning that it allows the use of very small sample volumes (0.01-0.1 mg C) in a short measurement time. As a complementary periphery, it includes a gas handling system that allows direct measurement of CO2 gas, facilitating flexible injection of samples containing very small amounts of carbon .<50 µg carbon).
Radiocarbon samples are prepared in our state-of-the-art sample preparation laboratory using modern equipment. Our laboratory can prepare a wide range of sample types (archaeological samples, environmental samples, biofuel, aerosol, etc.) for radiocarbon measurements.
This year, one of the latest and most promising innovations in C-14 mass spectrometry, the PIMS positive ion source C-14 mass spectrometer developed by Thermo Fischer and NEC, will be installed in our laboratory, significantly increasing the availability of our service.

Stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers
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We operate two Thermo Fischer Scientific stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers (Delta plus XP, Delta plus V type IRMS) specially designed for measurement of environmental stable isotopes 2H, 13C, 15N, 18O, 34S with the required accuracy.
We have the necessary peripheral equipment for automated, on-line analyses, such as High-Temperature Conversion Element Analyser (TC/EA), GasBench II type preparation device, Dual-Inlet injection system.
This year, two additional Thermo mass spectrometers, the most advanced stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers on the market, will be installed to further expand our service capacity.

Noble gas mass spectrometers
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The system developed for the VG5400 noble gas mass spectrometer is designed primarily for the determination of tritium concentrations in water samples. The 3He-mas method we use is the most sensitive method for the determination of tritium concentration in water samples. The preparation system was rebuilt in 2007, with a cry-system as an essential element, which allowed the concentration and separation of helium from neon. In 2017, a Helix SFT helium mass spectrometer was added to our infrastructure to increase accuracy and capacity. The main profile of our noble gas laboratory is to determine, the elemental and isotopic compositionof noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe és a 3He/ 4He in various gases, water samples and fluid inclusions in rocks for both geochronological and geochemical studies. One of the major applications of noble gas studies are to determine the vulnerability of aquifers while this information can also be applied to environmental and climate research. Other important applications of noble gas studies are the determination of aquifer vulnerability and groundwater-based paleoclimate reconstruction.
Using argon isotope-specific mass spectrometers, our geological experts investigate geological processes using potassium-argon and argon-argon dating.

Multicollector inductively coupled plasma ion source mass spectrometer
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In 2019, for the first time in our country, a Neptune Plus multicollector ICPMS was installed for the 234U/230Th dating of carbonates and the accurate isotopic ratio measurements of 87Sr/86Sr in rocks, groundwater and archaeological samples (bone, other finds), as well as several elements (Pb, Fe, Cu). The chemical preparation operations are carried out in a C1000 clean room laboratory, which allows to achieve the required preparation purity.

253 Plus mass spectrometer
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Thermo Fisher Scientific 253 Plus mass spectrometer and its associated Kiel IV automated carbonate digestion system is suitable for traditional carbon and oxygen isotope ratio measurements of small (20 µg) carbonate samples, and clumped (carbonate coupled) isotope ratio measurement is its main function. Clumped carbonate thermometryas a method can be applied to the analysis of different types of carbonates (freshwater-derived, predominantly abiogenic carbonates, biogenic carbonates, fossil otoliths) for the reconstruction of palaeoclimatological parameters.

Devices
More instruments
With our environmental analytical and radioanalytical laboratories, we are ready to meet your specific challenges.
The infrastructure of our electronics and mechanical development centre combined with our research and engineering knowledge base offers a wide range of research developments from design to implementation.

Picarro c Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer (CRDS)
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Our two Picarro Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometers (CRDS) are used for continuous, real-time measurements of the abundance and stable isotope ratios of atmospheric CO2 and CH4 greenhouse gases.
The Picarro G2401 CRDS analyser is a field-portable atmospheric trace gas analyser. It provides continuous simultaneous measurements of four different atmospheric components – atmospheric water vapour, CO2, CO and CH4. It is characterised by outstanding stability, accuracy and portability. It is capable of determination in ppb range sensitivity over several months of continuous operation.
The Picarro G2201-i combines two types of analysers by measuring both CO2 and CH4 carbon stable isotope combined. It allows monitoring the carbon pathway from the source to the binding processes.

Infrastructure of the environmental analysis laboratory
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Our environmental analytical laboratory has a large instrumentation park for elemental analysis, inorganic analysis and analysis of micropollutants.
Instruments:
- Metrohm ion chromatography system with UV-VIS spectrophotometric detector
- TOC/TN measuring instrument
- UV-VIS spectrophotometer
- Microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer (MP-AES)
- Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
- Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), flame photometry (FES)
- Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR)
More information is available at the link below:

Radioanalytical laboratory infrastructure
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The processing and preparation for measurement of samples with expected significant radioactivity are carried out in our modern, well-equipped Level B radiochemistry laboratory, which was established in 2018. We are fully equipped to work with low and intermediate level radioactive waste and are also well equipped to receive institutional and other industrial radioactively contaminated samples.
Following the separation of the isotopes of interest to our customers to the appropriate purity, we aim to provide a comprehensive service with alpha, beta and gamma spectrometry measurements of samples using our modern instrumentation from Canberra, Perkin Elmer and Oxford.
A wide range of liquid scintillation equipment, mainly for the measurement of beta emitting isotopes, is available in our laboratory. For low detection limits, we have the best instruments currently available on the market (Perkin Elmer Quantulus 1220 and the Perkin Elmer Quantulus GCT 6220). For the determination of the combined absolute activity of several isotopes, the state-of-the-art instrument based on TDCR technology, the HIDEX 300SL, is also available in our laboratory.
Low background total alpha and total beta measurements for the determination of the indicative dose in drinking water can be performed with our Canberra LB4200.
In the field of gamma radiation, we have 2 Canberra gamma spectrometers equipped with HPGe detectors with low background lead shielding, and will be adding two more of these state-of-the-art instrumen

Infrastructure of the Electronics and Mechanical Development Centre
In addition to mechanical machining, our development centre carries out complex tasks requiring electronic design and manufacturing, as well as software development. More information about the development centre can be found here:
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Contact
Address
HEKAL
Ede Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies
H-4026 Debrecen, Bem tér 18/C, Hungary