Trace Metal Facility Core

The trace Metal Facility Core will be located in CP 373 and is currently under renovation.

The principal objective of the Trace Metal Facility Core is to promote collaborative studies on trace metals in the environmental and biological systems by providing a facility for ARCH members at Florida International University and the University of Miami and other collaborators. Specifically, the Facility Core will provide 1) trace metal analysis protocols for Center collaborators; 2) clean area for sample preparation for metal research at trace levels for Center collaborators; and 3) instrumental analysis in the core or coordinates the access to SERC and Chemistry ICP-MS facilities.

The Trace Metal Facility Core will include a new Clean Laboratory with quality grade suitable for trace metal analysis. This Laboratory will be split into two parts. A clean room (Class 1000) with approximately 200 sq ft will be used for clean sample preparation. The clean room will be equipped with two clean hoods with HEPA filters, water purification system, and lab furniture. The rest of the Lab (approximately 200 sq ft) will be used for sample analysis. An ICP-MS will be purchased and will be located in the Facility Core. A HPLC will be relocated from Dr. Yong Cai’s laboratory and coupled to ICP-MS to meet the needs for metal speciation

Toxic Algae Culture Core  

Microcystin-LR is available at $175/mg (bulk pricing available)
Contact reink@fiu.edu

The Facility Core serves as a support center for research projects currently on-going under the auspices of the ARCH program at FIU and the COHH program at UM. It is the main repository and supplier of microorganism cultures, purified toxins, DNA and RNA, labeled toxins and antibodies for a variety of investigators. In addition, it supplies access to a wide range of equipment, training and a number of services related to marine toxin research.

The Facility Core completed major renovations in 2003. The Core has moved to a new laboratory (OE316). This space was remodeled to provide 200 sq. ft. of floor space dedicated to cultures. High density shelving increased shelf space to 200 sq. ft., and we estimate our capacity will be 2000L. The renovations included backup temperature control, programmable lighting and air ports for each of ten shelves. An adjacent 100 sq. ft. lab is used for media preparation, and 600 sq. ft. of general laboratory space houses the core instrumentation and is used for cell harvesting, DNA/ RNA and toxin isolation.

Equipment available to ARCH participants:

BioRad DGGE
BioTek Synergy 2 UV/Vis, fluorescence and luminescence plate reader
FastPrep DNA machine
ThermoFinnigan HPLC with UV and fluorescence detectors
MJ Opticon Thermal Cycler
Zeiss Axiovert Microscope
Biotage Sp1 automated flash chromatography system
Labscale and Large scale Tangential Flow Filtration system.
Products and Services available:
These products and services are also available to researchers outside of the ARCH and COHH programs. Please call for a price schedule.
Purified toxins (microcystins, okadaic acid)
Toxin extraction & purification
ELISA for okadaic acid and brevetoxin
Protein phosphatase inhibition assays for okadaic acid and microcystins
DNA/RNA extraction

For more information, contact: