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The Laboratory for Isotopes and Metals in the Environment (LIME) at Penn State University is a core analytical facility that measures the isotopic (C, N, O, Ca, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Sr, U), as well as major elemental (e.g., Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Si) and trace elemental, compositions (e.g., rare earth elements, Pb) of a variety of materials.

Please credit LIME-derived data in all publications and presentations:

“The data presented in this study were produced by the Laboratory for Isotopes and Metals in the Environment (LIME) at the Pennsylvania State University”.

Thank you!

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Applications — High-quality data generated by LIME’s experienced specialists assists researchers in addressing a range of diverse questions, including:

• • Tracing provenance using isotopic and elemental compositions;
  • Indicating chemical processes occurring in natural systems (e.g., redox chemistry, mineral dissolution, recrystallization, petrogenesis);
  • Determining the age of natural materials (required to constrain reaction rates on a range of time scales); and
  • Characterizing the chemistry of natural and synthetic materials.

Materials — A range of materials can be analyzed in LIME, including:

• • • Organic/biological (e.g., tree rings, bone, animal tissue, teeth);
    • Geological (e.g., silicates, oxides, sulfides, metals, carbonates); and
    • Natural waters (e.g., brines, surface water, ground water, stream water, soil pore fluid); and
    • Synthetic materials (e.g., ceramics, thin films, glass).

Interested users are encouraged to contact LIME to discuss their materials, analysis(es) of interest, and the sample preparation procedures that may be required to attain high quality data for specific sample types.

 

Sample preparation and requirements — See information on sample preparation services provided by LIME and sample requirements.