Soil Lab & Prep Space

Soil analysis for nutrient and contaminant content to assist with environmental management.

InnoTech Alberta’s soil labs and prep space allow for flexible testing and experimentation with soil and water. Our teams work with clients and partners to develop applied research initiatives to meet stakeholder needs. Flexibility is key, so we can design and carry out many different types of testing, often integrated with other facilities including greenhouses, CT scanning, mesocosms, and more.

Experiments conducted in our facilities support evaluation of innovative reclamation and remediation technologies or practices and measurement of chemical parameters of potential concern in environmental media, and other physical, chemical, and biological aspects of soil.

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Soil Lab & Prep Space Equipment

Our soil lab and prep space facilities allow our team to assist our clients in the evaluation of potential uses of industrial by-products while mitigating environmental impacts.

Our soil laboratory and preparation space includes:

Two fully serviced (98 and 47 m2) temperature-controlled laboratories with fume hoods, explosion-proof refrigerator, vented chemical cabinets, extensive bench space, and the following equipment:

Orbital and back and forth shaking units
Soil columns and irrigation systems
Soil respiration equipment – LiCOR system (CO2) and methane analyzer
Photoionization detectors for measuring hydrocarbon vapors
Ceramic Pressure Plate Extractor – soil-water characteristic curve assessment

Drying room and ovens
Soil grinding and processing facility

The soil lab and prep space are used for the following types of soil property evaluation:

Biological:

CO2 and methane soil gas flux measurement using the long term in situ or portable systems in the lab, greenhouse and field environments
Mesofauna quantification

Chemical:

Measurement of various chemical and physical properties
Hydrophobicity, flammability, and residual saturation laboratory tests

Physical:

Sensor-based measurement of soil temperature, moisture and electrical conductivity
Soil sample moisture analysis
Nuclear gauge measurement of soil moisture and density in situ

Soil analysis for nutrient and contaminant content to assist with environmental management.

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