DPTC Lab Equipment and Photos
Experion Automated Electrophoresis StationPerforms all of the steps of gel-based electrophoresis in one compact, durable unit. It automates analysis by combining electrophoresis, staining, destaining, band detection, and imaging into a single, 30 minute step. It's an electrophoresis cell, power supply, and imager built into a single device.
Laser TweezersAlso known as optical tweezers, they use a strongly focused laser beam to trap smallparticles and objects within the beam. The laser tweezers can manipulate individualcells and similarly sized bits of matter and measure the forces involved with great precision. Measuring the interactions of the particles accurately is important toassess their function.
Fisher Scientific Sonic Dismembrator 500Designed to mix, disperse, emulsify and homogenize liquid samples. Advanced circuitry provides regulation to the tip for a variety of applications.
Tecator 2020 DigestorGeneral Description: A block digestion system for Kjeldahl nitrogen analysis. Specifications: The digestor operates from 100 - 440 oC, and can digest up to 20 samples at once.
Tecator Kjeltec System 1026 Distilling UnitGeneral Description: A steam distillation system for Kjeldahl nitrogen analysis. Specifications: Operates in either manual or automatic mode. Dispenses water (for sample dilution) and alkali into sample. Generates steam and injects it into sample during distillation. Condenses distillate and collects it in the receiver flask.
Rheometric Scientific SR-5000 - Dynamic Stress RheometerGeneral Description: A controlled stress rheometer used to characterize properties of materials in either melt or fluid form. Specifications: Applies either dynamic or linear stress to the sample and measures strain. Analyzes applied stress and resulting strain to calculate material properties.
310 Genetic AnalyzerHigh throughput DNA Sequencing-gene or chromosome sequencing and species identification. Nucleic acid technology allows knowledge of the complete community composition and structure involved with food systems. Allows a wide range of applications including DNA sequencing and species identification.
PCRThermal cycler for rapid and sensitive dectection method for microorganisms in food systems. Wide range of applications including DNA characterization, bacteria identification and determination, gene manipulation.
Beckman Coulter LS 230 - Particle Size AnalyzerGeneral Description: The LS 230 utilizes laser diffraction (light scattering) to determine particle size distributions in fluid and dried samples.
Specifications: Measures particles in the ranges 0.04 to 2000 microns for fluids and 0.4 to 2000 microns for powders.
Beckman Coulter QuickSCANGeneral Description: The QuickSCAN is a liquid dispersion optical characterization instrument.
Specifications: Analyses stability and instability of concentrated liquid dispersions (emulsions, suspensions, and foams). Detects physical destabilization phenomena (creaming, sedimentation, coalescence, and flocculation) using the multiple light scattering principle of measurement.
Texture Technologies / Stable Micro Systems TA.XT2 Texture Analyzer
General Description: The TA.XT2 is a portable, single-column, bench-mounted, microprocessor-controlled texture analysis system.Specifications: Measures force, distance, and time to provide three-dimensional product analysis. Determines force from 0.1 g to 5 kg. Measures distance from 0.1 to 295 mm. Operates at a speed range of 0.1 to 10 mm/sec.
Foss Type 11700 FormagraphGeneral Description: The instrument is used for the evaluation of cheese process parameters.
Specifications: Records firmness/time graphs for coagulating milk, with a capacity of 20 samples/hour.
TA Instruments DSC 2920 General Description: The DSC 2920 determines the temperature and heat flow associated with material transitions as a function of time and temperature.
Specifications: Provides quantitative and qualitative data on endothermic and exothermic processes of materials during physical transitions caused by heat-related changes. The DSC has a temperature range from room temperature to 725ºC.
Ultracentrifuge
General Description: Beckman L7-35. Used to generate centrifugal forces for the separation of particles such as sedimentation of milk and cellular components.Specifications: Speed: 1000 to 35000 rpm in increments of 1000 rpm.
Temperature Range: 0ºC to ambient.
Time: Up to 9 hours 59 minutes or hold.
GCMS- Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer
w/ head space sampler
General Description: The TurboMass™ Mass Spectrometer is a sophisticated benchtop mass spectrometric detector that provides you with the simple tools needed to perform routine gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GM/MS) analyses as well as the sophisticated tolls needed to perform the more complex analyses. Turbo Mass can run analyses that best characterize your sample by using either the electron ionization (EI) mode or chemical ionization (CI) mode.
HPLC- High Performance Liquid Chromatography
General Description: peptide analysis from cheese ripening.
Capillary Electrophoreses
General Description: CE is a powerful analytical technique currently used for the identification and separation of proteins, peptides, and organic acids.
FPLC- Fast Performance Liquid Chromatography
General Description: for separation analysis and isolation of proteins, peptides, and lipids from milk, whey and dairy products
Digital Imager
General Description: Digital imager for quantification and record keeping of dairy product sample structure and composition
MicroscopeGeneral Description: Contrast phase microscope for analysis of microorganisms, spores, and cells.
Super Critical Fluid ExtractionGeneral Description: Pilot plant system designed for extraction of samples of up to 500 ml. Wide range of conditions are possible and is used for optimizing extraction processes.
Elisa Plate Reader
General Description: UV-Spectrometer plate reader can analyze multiple samples at once. Utilized for antibody and enzymatic assays for milk product component analysis or microbiological safety.
Ultra Scan XE SpectrophotometerGeneral Description: This instrument can be used to measure virtually any kind of product. Opaque and translucent materials can be placed at the reflectance port on the front of the sensor for measurement of reflected color. Transparent samples such as films and liquids can be placed in the transmission compartment for measurement of transmitted color.
Rotary EvaporatorGeneral Description: Rotary evaporators are used to remove solvents from reaction mixtures and can accommodate volumes as large as 3 liters. It has a heatable water bath to keep the solvent from cooling or even freezing during the evaporation process. The solvent is removed under vacuum, is trapped by a condenser and is collected for easy reuse or disposal.
Karl Fisher Titration SystemGeneral Description: Used for moisture determination of water (total moisture, bound and free water) in many low moisture foods such as chocolate, dried fruits and vegetables or any low moisture food high in sugar or protein such as lactose powder and milk powders. The method is quite rapid and sensitive and uses no heat.
Other:
• Pulsed field gel electrophoresis for DNA-based differentiation of probiotic lactic acid bacteria
• Gel electrophoresis acrylamide for analysis of proteins and peptides--native, denaturing, urea, gradient and two-dimensional
• Preparative isoelectric focusing for isolation and characterization of proteins
• Gel densitometer (individual protein concentration determination)
• Membrane transfer platform for Northern, Southern and Western blots of RNA, DNA and protein analysis and identification
• Dot blot instrument for antibody and enzyme quantification and titration
• Pilot plant scale affinity chromatography column-large scale-up of laboratory affinity chromatography procedures
• Pre-coat filter system for removal of particulates from liquid streams like skim milk, whey or permeate
• Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Analysis (FAME)-used to determine strain relatedness of microorganisms significant to dairy/food industries
• Terminal Restriction Fragment Polymorphism (TRFP)-characterization of changes in microbial communities
Contact Phil Tong for use of facilities or special projects ptong@calpoly.edu or call (805)756-6102.
