High Performance Lab
Mobile devices make it possible to work flexibly in a wide variety of spatial conditions, but for maximum precision and depth of data we need the equipment of stationary laboratories. At Universität Hamburg, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), researchers at CSMC/UWA have access to several stationary high-performance labs that meet the highest technological standards and are constantly being expanded with the latest equipment.
At Universität Hamburg, it is primarily methods from food chemistry that we apply to the material analysis of written artefacts. The procedure is similar to forensic dactyloscopy, which employs biometric procedures that provide proof of identity with the help of fingerprints. Instead of fingerprints, we generate molecular profiles when dealing with written artefacts. This requires ultra-high-resolution technologies. Depending on the question, we analyse the entirety of the DNA (genome), proteins (proteome), metabolic products (metabolome), and element or isotope profiles (isotopolome). The resulting hypothesis-free and high-resolution molecular profiles are unambiguous, thus making it possible to distinguish between a reference and an unknown sample.
At TUHH, we apply methods such as light microscopy, electron microscopy, chemical analysis (ICP, EXDA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyse the characteristics and properties of various writing surfaces such as a palm-leaf, birch bark, wooden slips, silk, and paper in manuscripts, with particular emphasis on the interaction between the ink and these writing surfaces.
At DESY, we use the X-ray radiation source PETRA III, one of the most powerful synchrotron radiation sources worldwide, to analyse written artefacts. It provides a wide range of X-ray analytical techniques for chemical and structural analysis. The high brightness of the source makes it possible to image the chemical and physical properties of objects in two and three dimensions, with spatial resolutions down to a few nanometres. In addition, DESY develops mobile X-ray analytical devices, such as a micro-CT system for objects up to 100 mm in size.
Equipment
DNA
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DNA-Next Generation Sequencerllumina MiSeq Sequencing of DNA Location: HSFS |
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2100 BioanalyzerAgilent Technologies Determination of DNA concentration and size Location: HSFS |
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Real time PCRBio rad cfx 96, Deep well, Bio rad Determination of DNA concentration and content Location: HSFS |
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UltrasonicatorDiagenode One Physical shearing of DNA Location: HSFS |
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UltracentrifugeOPTIMA™ XPN-90, Beckman-Coulter Centrifuge (max. rpm: 90.000 min¯¹; max. gravity: 694.000 x g) for DNA preparation Location: HSFS |
Peptides & Small Molecules
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LC-IMS-ToF-MSAgilent 6560 Ion Mobility Q-TOF LC/MS Location: HSFS |
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LC-Q-TOF MSMaxis, Bruker Peptide fingerprinting, small molecule fingerprinting Location: HSFS |
Elements & Isotopes
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ICP-MSAgilent 7700 Medium resolution Elemental fingerprinting Location: HSFS |
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HR-ICP-MSThermo Element-2 High resolution Elemental fingerprinting Location: HSFS |
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Ablation LaserESI NWR 193 Efficient ablation of all materials to produce small particles that can be efficiently transported and ionized by the ICP Location: HSFS |
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MicrowaveEtrhos.lab High performance microwave digestion system for ICP-MS analysis. Location: HSFS |
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X-ray fluorescencePhilips PW1418 XFA spectrometer Analysis of chemical-elements between Na and U Location: Institute for Mineralogy and Petrology |
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Wavelength-dispersive electron microprobe analysisCameca Microbeam SX100 SEM system Analysis of chemical-elements between N and U Location: Institute for Mineralogical and Petrography |
Microscopy
Scanning Probe Microscope mit Nanoscope IV ControllerLocation: Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology |
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Scanning Force Microscope, Dimension D3000Location: Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology |
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Fluorescence MicroscopeAxioscope.A1 mit Kamera AxioCam 105 color Location: HSFS |
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Stereo MicroscopeZeiss Discovery V8 Reflective mode Topographic images of biogenic samples Location: Institute for Wood Science |
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Light MicroscopeZeiss Axioscope 40 Structural analysis of biogenic material Location: Institute for Wood Science |
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Fluorescence MicroscopeZeiss Axiovert 25 Structural analysis of biogenic material Location: Institute for Wood Science |
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Transmission Electron MicroscopeLEO 906 E TEM Ultrastructural analysis of biological material Location: Biozentrum Klein Flotbek |
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Light-MicroscopyOlympus BX51 Classical microscope for several purposes, in particular paper fibres identification, with lenses for 50, 100, 200 and 500 times magnification and facilities to perform fluorescence, polarization, and dark and bright field microscopy. Location: CSMC |
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3D-MicroscopyKeyence VHX-5000 3D-Microscope for several purposes, in particular layers and surface evaluation. Location: CSMC |
Vibrational Spectroscopy
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FT-NIRTango-R-CS, Bruker Location: HSFS |
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Infrared spectroscopeBruker Vertex 70 FT-IR spectrometer equipped with Ge and diamond ATR stages as well as with a Hyperion 2000 IR microscope with Ge-ATR and GI(RAIR) objectives Location: Institute for Mineralogy and Petrology |
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FTIR-Spectrometer (DRIFTS, ATR)Nicolet iS 5, FT-IR spectrometer, Thermo Fisher Scientific Location: CSMC |
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Raman spectroscopyTriple-grating Horiba T64000 Raman spectrometer with a confocal BH41 microscope and lasers operating at 8 different wavelengths between 514.5 and 244 nm Location: Institute for Mineralogy and Petrology |
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Raman spectroscopyInVia Raman Spectrometer, Renishaw Analysis of the structure and chemistry of inorganic and organic crystalline and amorphous solids. Location: CSMC |
Others
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REM/EDXAHitachi/Eumex 3-D images of various materials, ion analysis Location: Institute for Wood Science |
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Tree-ringstationLintab 6 Rimtech/Leica Measuring tree rings, stem analysis, dendrochronology Location: Institute for Wood Science |
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Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD)Stoe Stadi-MP diffractometer Determination of the atomic structure of ceramic or powder sample Location: Institute for Mineralogical and Petrography |
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Single-crystal XRDNonius Kappa CCD diffractometer) Determination of the atomic structure of single crystals Location: Institute for Mineralogical and Petrography |
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Mass spectrometry with minimal invasive probe (ASAP)Xevo G2-XS QTof/Tof (ASAP), Waters Corporation Small molecule fingerprinting (minimal invasive) Location: CSMC / Institute for Mineralogy and Petrology |
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Surface Plasmon ResonanceSierraSensors SPR Label-free analysis system for the identification and characterization of molecular interactions Location: HSFS |
Single-crystal XRD with synchrotron radiationBeamline PE24 at PEX-E/DESY Determination of the atomic structure of single crystals Location: DESY |
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NanoindenterNano Indenter G200 (Agilent Technologies) Microprobe for testing mechanical properties Location: Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology |
