Microbiology Laboratory Details
- Fully equipped microbiology labs with microscopes, bio-safety cabinets, and autoclaves to analyze and grow microbial cultures (both pure (single species) and consortia (more than one species).
- Expertise in conducting microcosm growth studies (from 10 mL to 500 mL culture volumes) under different reducing environments including iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic conditions.
- Capable of conducting larger-scale microbial growth experiments using pressurized vessels and flow-through columns. This is important for simulating field conditions and has been used in microbial enhanced oil recovery experiments.
- The lab has a gas chromatography machine to measure gas production in microcosm cultures, such as CO2 and methane from anaerobic cultures. These gases are used as indicators for the microbial degradation of environmental compounds of interest. We also collaborate with our analytical labs to conduct a full compound analysis of the culture material itself to monitor the degradation and formation of compounds.
- We have experience in bioinformatics to characterize the types of microorganisms in an environmental sample as well as to monitor changes in the microbial community due to environmental pressures and contamination.
- We mostly work with non-pathogenic microorganisms (Risk Group 1 as defined by the Public Health Agency of Canada) but do have a lab designated for working with Risk Group 2 pathogenic microorganisms.
