Quaternary Scientific (QUEST) Environmental Services

We currently offer the following technical services for environmental analyses

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Elemental analysis of metals in solution (mg/l concentrations). Suitable for a wide range of sample types – sediments, organics, liquids.

Autoanalyser

Measures nitrate, ammonia, phosphate or chloride in solution to ppm.

Carbon and Nitrogen Analysis

Analysis of carbon and nitrogen in solid soil or plant material.

Carbon and Sulphur Analysis

Analysis of Carbon at a range of 0.05-100%, or Sulphur at a range of 0-4% in soil or plant samples.

Differential Thermal Analysis

Monitors reactions occurring in materials as a function of temperature, for investigation, selection and comparison of soil and clay samples.

Dissolved Carbon Analyser

Measurement of total, organic and inorganic carbon in aqueous samples.

Environmental Magnetism

Magnetic measurements to characterise the magnetic mineralogy of sediments for environmental and paleoenvironmental studies.

Flow Injection Analyser

Static or portable, measures nitrate, ammonia and chloride in solution to ppm.

Geophysics

Study of solid and drift geology by quantitative physical methods to remotely sense underground anomalies.

GIS

Data presentation and compilation, computer generated mapping, visualisations.

Helium Porosimetry

Determination the porosity of consolidated cored materials, normally sandstones or carbonates. Calculation of grain density.

High Performance Ion Chromatography

Analysis of common anions in aqueous solution to ppm / ppb

ICP-OES

Measurement of a range of over 40 elements in solution at µg/l concentrations. Suitable for a wide range of sample types – sediments, organics, liquids.

Isotopic Analysis

Analysis of a range of isotopes (commonly ²H, ¹³C, ¹⁸O, ³⁷Cl, ¹⁵N)

Loss on Ignition

Measures organic or carbonate content of soils or sediments.

Metallurgic Residue and Ore Analysis

Identification, interpretation and analysis of metal working residues.

Nitrogen Gas Permeametry

Analysis of carbon and nitrogen in solid soil or plant material.

Particle Size Analysis

Characterisation of sediments or other types of unconsolidated material by analysis of particle size / distribution relationships.

Phytolith Analysis

Sample preparation, identification, counts, preliminary assessments or full reports.

Pollen Analysis

Sample preparation, identification, counts, preliminary assessments or full reports.

Rock Thin Section

Allows study and characterisation of mineralogy and fabric of rocks.

Soil Phosphate Analysis

Measures concentrations of inorganic / total phosphate in soil samples for spatial identification of land use (agriculture, animal stalling, middens).

Soil Thin Section

Allows study and characterisation of microstratigraphic components in natural and anthropogenically created sediments and soils.

Surface Area Analysis

Analysis of the particulate surface area of soils, sediments or other materials.

X-Ray Diffraction

Mineral identification and quantification of the internal mass percentages of the x-ray crystalline phases for clays or whole rock mineralogy.

X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Measures the elemental composition of sediments, in terms of major (oxides) and trace elements from pressed powders and fusion beads.