We use an Applied Biosystems Veriti 96-well thermal cycler with six independent temperature blocks and a MJ Research PTC-225 Peltier thermal cycler with 4 96-well blocks. In addition the von Fischer lab contains an Eppendorf 5424 2 ml. tube centrifuge, 2 vortex genies, 6 thermo scientific pipettes (with pipette volume ranges from 0.5 ul. to 1000 ul.), a Fisher isotemp incubator (model 503), a 900 watt microwave oven, a VWR 10 by 10 hotplate/stirrer, a Haus AdventurerPro scale, a Lab-Line incubator-shaker, a -80 freezer and 2 water bath shakers with a total capacity to incubate and shake 62 120 ml. glass vials. For gel electrophoresis, the lab contains a VWR 300V power source, an Owl Easycast B1A-BP gel rig and a Bio-Rad Universal hood II gel imager.
Other equipment in the von Fischer lab includes a Shimadzu GC14B gas chromatograph with FID, methanizer ECD, and autosampler. The GC is capable of unattended processing of >100 samples/day. The von Fischer lab also has a Los Gatos CH4/CO2/H2O vapor analyzer capable of high-precision, real time measures of these gases in air. Additionally, the lab has acquired a ultra portable version of this analyzer which can be carried on a backpack. The von Fischer Lab uses two Los Gator Methane Carbon Isotope Analyzers that are capable of high-precision, real-time, measurements of the relative abundances of methane isotopes in both the lab, and potentially the field. In addition, the NREL Stable Isotope Lab houses a new Finnigan Delta V Advantage with trace gas Precon system allows measures of methane carbon isotopes.
von Fischer’s lab space is 20’ x 30’ plus a 10’ x 15’ meeting area and a 10’ x 15’ office space for lab members. Other office space is available nearby within the department. The lab includes 2 general use PC’s and a duplexing laser printer.
Work under von Fischer’s lab also takes advantage of CSU’s Natural Resource Ecology Lab (NREL) shared user facility which hosts an Alpkem for colormetric analyses, and large drying ovens for soils. The NREL building is <5 minute walk across campus. The CSU Soil and Water Testing Lab maintains a Dionex GC for measuring nitrate and sulfate concentrations in soil extracts.