EQL Facilities & Instrumentation
Use EQL laboratory space, general-use equipment, or analytical instruments for your USU research.
Choose the Right Fit
USU faculty, researchers, and students can use the EQL in two main ways: as a place to work in the lab, or as a place to use specific EQL instruments and equipment.
The main difference is how you plan to use the lab. General laboratory space is billed as lab use. Advanced analytical instruments are billed by instrument time after training and approval.
All laboratory users will need to complete initial laboratory safety training through USU Environmental Health & Safety and complete a safety walk-through. Advanced EQL instrumentation will require additional training as needed.
This page includes
- General laboratory use fees
- Instrument hourly use rates
- Training and safety information
- Additional information about standard analyses and instrumentation
Laboratory space
Use EQL Laboratory Space
For researchers who need bench space, the constant temperature room, lab supplies, or general-use equipment while doing their own work in the EQL.
This includes access to general-use instruments and equipment such as pH, EC, turbidity, UV-Vis spectrometers, centrifuges, microwave digester, hot blocks, solvent evaporator, and similar resources listed in the laboratory use fee.
EQL equipment
Use Advanced EQL Instruments
For researchers who need hands-on access to advanced EQL instruments after they complete training and supervised use.
Instruction is instrument-specific and provided at the discretion of EQL management based on project needs and compatibility with EQL practices.
Facilities and Equipment Pricing
General Laboratory Use Fee
| Service Description | Rate |
|---|---|
| Short-Term General Lab Use — Includes use of lab supplies (gloves, paper towels, DI water), general-use instruments and equipment (pH, EC, turbidity, UV-Vis spectrometers, centrifuges, microwave digester, hot blocks, solvent evaporator, etc.). | $16.75 day-use rate |
| Longer-Term General Lab Use — Lab space rental for extended periods that includes access to research space and general-use lab instruments and equipment (listed above). |
Day: $16.75
Month: $509
Year: $6,294
|
| EQL Chemist Hourly Rate for Training | $54.49 / hr |
Instrument Hourly Use Rates
Advanced EQL instruments are available for hands-on use by USU investigators and their students. After training and supervised use, researchers may be approved to use instruments on their own. Training is specific to each instrument and is approved by EQL management based on the project needs and fit with EQL practices. Investigators are expected to bring processed samples and their own supplies, including standards, analytical columns, and vials. This fee structure supports a wide range of research and is not limited to typical EQL analyses or sample types. Please contact the lab to discuss specific needs.
| Instrument | Hourly Rate | Instrument | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCMSMS Agilent 6495D Triple Quad Mass Spectrometer / 1290 HPLC | $44.10 | ICPMS Agilent 8900 ICP-Triple Quad Mass Spectrometer | $61.86 |
| HPLC Agilent 1200 with Diode-Array and Fluorescence Detectors | $34.34 | Shimadzu UV-2600i Scanning UV-Vis with Integrating Sphere | $11.50 |
| Dionex Integrion Ion Chromatograph | $17.27 | AQ2 Seal Discrete Analyzer | $8.62 |
| Shimadzu TOC-L Combustion | $17.46 | SpectraMax iD3 Plate Reader | $6.84 |
| Nanobrook 90Plus PALS Dynamic Light Scattering / Zeta Potential | $41.60 | Frontier Lab Multi-Shot Micro Furnace Pyrolyzer | $42.09 |
| Horiba Aqualog | $58.78 | Bio-Rad CFX Opus 96 qPCR | $4.50 |
| Fluorescence Microscope ECHO Revolve 4 (Hybrid) | $8.47 | ||
*The daily lab fee is charged for the time faculty members or students are in the lab preparing to use instruments.
Additional Information
Standard Analyses Performed by the EQL
The EQL performs routine analyses for a variety of parameters in water (surface water, groundwater, wastewater, stormwater) and solids (soil, sediment, plants, biosolids) (Table 4). We follow EPA and APHA protocols, including a thorough QC program.
Table 4. Standard Procedures and Instrumentation Performed by the EQL
| Analyte | Media | Analytes | Method | Instrument | Sample Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major anions | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Cl, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate (F, Br upon request) | Dionex Method 123 | IC Dionex Integrion IC | Filtered water samples |
| Nutrients | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Total phosphate | EPA 365.4 Rev 2.0 | Seal AQ2 | Persulfate digestion |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Total nitrogen | EPA 353.2 Rev 2.0 | Seal AQ2 | Persulfate digestion | |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Nitrate-N + nitrite-N | EPA 353.2 Rev 2.0 | Seal AQ2 | Filtered water samples | |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Nitrite-N | EPA 353.2 Rev 2.0 | Seal AQ2 | Filtered water samples | |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Soluble phosphate | EPA 365.1 | Seal AQ2 | Filtered water samples | |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Ammonium-N | EPA 350.1 | Seal AQ2 | Filtered water samples | |
| Major cations and trace elements — water and solids | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters Solids — soils, plants, biosolids, etc. |
Na, Ca, Mg, K, Si, P, Be, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Tl, Pb, U | EPA 6020 | ICPMS Agilent 8900 ICP-triple quad mass spectrometer | Dissolved after filtration. Totals after digestion of water (EPA 3030E) or solids (EPA 3050B). |
| Carbon analysis | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Total organic carbon / dissolved organic carbon samples | EPA 415.1, 415.3, 9060A | Shimadzu TOC-L carbon analyzer | Filtered or unfiltered water samples |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters | Inorganic carbon | EPA 415.1, 415.3, 9060A | Shimadzu TOC-L carbon analyzer | Filtered or unfiltered water samples | |
| PFAS | Drinking water | See full PFAS compound list (EPA 537) | EPA 537 | LCMSMS Agilent 6495D / 1290 HPLC | EPA 537 method |
| Wastewaters and solids | See full PFAS compound list (EPA 1633) | EPA 1633 | LCMSMS Agilent 6495D / 1290 HPLC | EPA 1633 method | |
| PPCPs — water and solid samples | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water, wastewaters Solids — soils, plants, biosolids, etc. |
Compound list available upon request | EPA 1694 | LCMSMS Agilent 6495D triple quad mass spectrometer / 1290 HPLC | Method-specific preparation |
| Cyanotoxins — water samples | Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water | Microcystins (MC-LR, MC-RR, MC-LA, MC-LY, MC-LW, MC-LF), nodularin | EPA/600/R-17/344 Nov 2017 | LCMSMS Agilent 6495D / 1290 HPLC | Method-specific preparation |
| Surface waters, groundwaters, drinking water | Anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin | EPA/600/R-17/130 Nov 2017 | LCMSMS Agilent 6495D / 1290 HPLC | Method-specific preparation |
Ready to plan a project?
Contact the EQL before beginning work so we can confirm training, sample needs, scheduling, and the most appropriate rate structure.
Contact the EQL