The RSIL is open and can accept samples for analysis. Please send an email to isotopes@usgs.gov if you plan to send samples so that the RSIL can be responsive to your sample shipment.
Analytical Services
- Laboratory services are provided for USGS programs and personnel. However, laboratory services can be provided to other federal, state, and county agencies and private firms by entering an agreement - either a USGS FACILITY SERVICE/USER AGREEMENT, REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENT, or INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT (required for federal customers). The analytical costs will be higher than those listed because other costs, such as USGS overhead, must be added. Please contact Jennifer Lorenz (jlorenz@usgs.gov) for prices and additional information.
- The submitter should fill out either the Standard Submission Excel Form or the QWDATA Compatible Submission Excel Form (an individual file is needed for each type of analysis). The file should be e-mailed to isotopes@usgs.gov. Submitters should not change the format of a Submission Excel file because laboratory personnel may not be able to import it without modifying it. Modifying the format of Submission Excel files may result in an additional charge for time needed to correct the formatting.
If users provide information on the QWDATA Compatible Submission Excel Form, the QWDATA files, Sample_d.dat and Result_d.dat, will be uploaded on the QW Data Transfer System (QWDX) with USGS procedure codes (List of RSIL lab codes, method codes, and procedure codes) and an Excel spreadsheet of the results and confirmation of successful upload to QWDX system will be e-mailed to the sample submitter.
- Advanced Request for Analytical Services Form. Request and pay in advance for isotopic analyses of samples to be collected next fiscal year.
-
Submissions should be sent to:
Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL)
U.S. Geological Survey
Mail Stop 431, Room 5B142
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
+1 703-648-5950
Except all samples for tritium analysis by electrolytic enrichment and liquid scintillation counting should be submitted to the Menlo Park Isotope Laboratory with either the Menlo Park Standard Submission Excel Form or the Menlo Park QWDATA Compatible Submission Excel Form (Instructions and Prices).
-
Please provide a prepared return shipping label if you ship your samples in a cooler. Otherwise, your cooler will not be returned to you.
- General turnaround time for analysis is 2-4 weeks, but may be longer due to seasonal sample load. For information on express services, please email isotopes@usgs.gov. Priority service is available with advance notice. Turn-around time for priority service is 24 to 48 hours for hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of water. The surcharge is an additional 50 percent. Please contact the laboratory to arrange.
- The RSIL has a soil permit. Please contact the RSIL in advance of sending soil samples in order to obtain a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture entry label.
Prices for Each Type of Analysis
Noble gas stable-isotope measurements by mass spectrometry
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| Low-level tritium (hydrogen-3) in water by helium-3 ingrowth (0.01 TU) |
Instructions |
-- |
600 |
$350 |
| Helium-3/helium-4 (δ3He) in helium; dissolved helium and neon concentrations in water |
Instructions |
-- |
610 |
$350 |
| Noble gas suite (δ3He, helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon concentrations) dissolved in water |
Instructions |
-- |
620 |
$650 |
Both H-2/H-1 and O-18/O-16 isotope-ratio mass spectrometric analysis of water (samples > 3.5 mL)
Instructions Hydrogen-2 of water SOP Oxygen-18 of water SOP |
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 3 |
1142 |
$89 |
| 4 - 19 |
1142 |
$69 |
| 20 - 39 |
1142 |
$59 |
| 40 + |
1172 |
$49 |
| Plus additional cost for samples < 3.5mL |
-- |
$30 |
Only H-2/H-1 isotope-ratio mass spectrometric analysis of water
Instructions SOP |
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| All |
1574 |
Contact RSIL |
Only O-18/O-16 isotope-ratio mass spectrometric analysis of water
Instructions SOP
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| All |
489 |
Contact RSIL |
Both H-2/H-1 and O-18/O-16 isotope-ratio mass spectrometric analysis of pore water in sediments and plant material (toluene extraction method)
Instructions
SOP
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
1700 |
$265 |
| 6 + |
1700 |
$195 |
N-15/N-14 and O-18/O-16 of NO3 in water (user must provide NO3 concentration accurate to within ±10 percent)
Instructions SOP
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
2900 |
$224 |
| 6 - 20 |
2900 |
$149 |
| 21 + |
2900 |
$128 |
| Filter sample through 0.2 μM filter |
-- |
$10 |
N-15/N-14 of NH4 in water (user must provide NH4 concentration accurate to within ±20 percent)
Instructions SOP |
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
2898 |
$380 |
| 6 + |
2898 |
$350 |
C-13/C-12 and O-18/O-16 of powdered calcite
Instructions |
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 4 |
1135 |
$69 |
| 5 + |
1135 |
$59 |
| Powder sample if needed |
-- |
$20 |
| C-13/C-12 of DIC (40 mL glass vial with butyl rubber septa provided by RSIL) |
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
1853 |
$98 |
| 6 - 19 |
1853 |
$88 |
| 20 + |
1853 |
$78 |
O-18/O-16 of solids (AgNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, Ag2SO4, BaSO4, keratins, collagens, wood, plants, and other organic compounds). For O-18/O-16 of other materials, please contact RSIL.
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
891 |
$89 |
| 6 - 19 |
891 |
$68 |
| 20 + |
891 |
$50 |
O-18/O-16 of organic liquids
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| All |
892 |
$100 |
H-2/H-1 of solids (keratins, collagens, wood, plants, and other organic compounds)
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| 1 - 5 |
282 |
$89 |
| 6 - 19 |
282 |
$68 |
| 20 + |
282 |
$50 |
H-2/H-1 of organic liquids
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| All |
283 |
$100 |
For H-2/H-1 in other materials that have exchangeable hydrogen, please contact RSIL
|
S-34/S-32 and O-18/O-16 analyses of sulfate in water
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| Dissolved SO4 > 20 mg/L collected in 1 or 2 bottles |
Instructions |
SOP |
2951 |
$201 |
| Dissolved SO4 < 20 mg/L collected on anion exchange resin |
Instructions |
SOP |
2949 |
$230 |
S-34/S-32 analyses of sulfate in water
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| Dissolved SO4 > 20 mg/L collected in 1 or 2 bottles |
Instructions |
SOP |
1951 |
$151 |
| Dissolved SO4 < 20 mg/L collected on anion exchange resin |
Instructions |
SOP |
1949 |
$180 |
| Resin cartridge (shipping extra) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$35 |
S-34/S-32 analyses of sulfur in powdered solids
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| Powdered biological material, powdered sediments, and other powdered solids |
Instructions
|
SOP |
1800 |
$80 |
| Dissolved sulfide as pure Ag2S |
Instructions |
-- |
1948 |
$63 |
| Dissolved sulfide as pure Ag2S with filtration |
Instructions |
-- |
1948 |
$93 |
| Sulfate in rock or sediment |
Instructions |
-- |
1950 |
Contact RSIL |
| Powder solid sample if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$20 |
| Pure BaSO4 powder |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$55 |
C-13/C-12 and/or N-15/N-14 of powdered vertebrates
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| C-13/C-12 and N-15/N-14 , C concentration, and N concentration |
Instructions |
-- |
832 |
$48 |
| C-13/C-12 and C concentration |
Instructions |
-- |
896 |
$28 |
| N-15/N-14 and N concentration |
Instructions |
-- |
893 |
$28 |
| Freeze dry sample if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$10 |
| Powder solid sample if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$20 |
C-13/C-12; N-15/N-14 of powdered plants, powdered invertebrates, and powdered sediments
C-13/C-12; N-15/N-14 of suspended particles or sediments on filters (sufficient mass amount that allows for multiple analyses)
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| C-13/C-12, N-15/N-14, C concentration, and N concentration (determined from replicate analyses) |
Instructions |
SOP |
1832 |
$68 |
| C-13/C-12 and C concentration |
Instructions |
-- |
2896 |
$38 |
| N-15/N-14 and N concentration |
Instructions |
SOP |
2893 |
$38 |
| Freeze dry sample if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$10 |
| Powder solid sample if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$20 |
| Removal of calcium carbonate by acidification if needed |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$25 |
|
C-13/C-12; N-15/N-14 of suspended particles or sediments on filters (limited mass amount that allows for only one analysis for both C and N, pre-weighed or not)
|
| Samples |
Instructions |
SOP |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| C-13/C-12, N-15/N-14, C concentration, and N concentration |
Instructions |
refer to LC1832 |
1833 |
$48 |
| C-13/C-12 and C concentration |
Instructions |
-- |
1834 |
$25 |
| N-15/N-14 and N concentration |
Instructions |
refer to LC2893 |
1835 |
$25 |
CO2 sensor prep and calibration
|
| Number of Samples |
Lab Code |
Price (each) |
| All |
3201 |
$1000 |
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