Mission Statement
ESAL is the only university soils laboratory in Nevada providing routine analyses of soil, plants, and water to the general public. ESAL’s mission is to maximize efficiency of laboratory resources by providing accurate, reliable, and prompt services to the research programs within UNLV, and to external public and private entities in Nevada and the region, at reasonable costs.
At ESAL, all soil samples are analyzed according to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Laboratory Methods Manual (Soil Survey Staff, 2004). Analysis of plants and water follows standard methods and procedures recommended by SSSA or regional authorities (reference sources vary with individual items). All analyses are performed under rigid routine quality control procedures.
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Our Laboratory
The Environmental Soil Analysis Core Laboratory (ESAL) is part of the Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Currently it is located in the Lilly Fong Geoscience Building, but will be moving to the new Science and Engineering Building scheduled for 2008. ESAL is capable of providing routine analyses of soil, plants, and water, including chemical, physical and mineralogical analysis of soils, and chemical analyses of plant and water samples.
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Our Team
Director
• Brenda J. Buck, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Chair: International Union of Soil Science Commission 1.1
E-mail: buckb@unlv.nevada.edu
Telephone: (702) 895-1694
Website: http://geoscience.unlv.edu/brendajbuck.htm
Manager
• Yuanxin Teng, Ph.D.
Dr. Teng was previously Forest Soils Laboratory manager at University of Toronto for fifteen years before moving to UNLV.
Email: tengy@unlv.nevada.edu
Telephone: (702) 895-3583
Post Doctoral Scientist
• Dirk Goossens, Ph.D.
Researches soil erosion, air pollution, and dust dynamics.
Graduate Students
• Janice Morton, Ph.D. candidate
Dissertation: Controls on Dust Emissions from Salt Mineralogy, Salton Sea California
• Colin Robins, Ph.D. candidate
Dissertation: Genesis of Authigenic Clay Minerals in Petrocalcic Horizons, Southwest U.S.A.
• Michael Howell, M.S. candidate
Thesis: Genesis and Geomorphology of Soils in Extreme Aridity: Atacama Desert, Chile
• Amanda Williams, Ph.D. candidate
Thesis:
Distribution of Biologic Soil Crusts: Implications for Land Management, Muddy Mountain Wilderness Area, NV
Undergraduate Research Programs
• Judy Costa, B. S. candidate
Research topic: SEM analyses of Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments: Implications for Life on Mars
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Tests/Analyses and Fees
| Test Code |
Cost ($)* |
Sample size (g) |
A: Soil analyses
|
|
|
| Soil Chemical Analyses |
|
|
| A0: Sample preparation |
2.50 |
|
| A1: pH |
3.50 |
100 |
| A2: ECe (saturated paste) |
3.50 |
100 |
| A3: pH & ECe |
6.00 |
100 |
| A4: Available P (Olsen or Bray) |
8.00 |
5 |
| A5: Available K |
8.00 |
5 |
| A6: Available P + K |
10.00 |
5 |
| A7: NO3-N (KCl extract) |
10.00 |
10 |
| A8: NH4-N (KCl extract) |
10.00 |
10 |
| A9: NO3-N & NH4-N |
17.00 |
10 |
| A10: SO4-S |
12.00 |
10 |
A11: Available micro nutrients (DTPA extractable) Cu, Fe, Mn & Zn |
30.00 |
10 |
| A12: Available B |
15.00 |
15 |
Organic C (organic matter) |
|
|
| A13: Walkley-Black |
11.50 |
5 |
| A14: Loss-on-ignition |
11.50 |
20 |
| A15: Combustion (C+N) |
11.50 |
5 |
| A16: Total N (Kjeldahl) |
11.50 |
5 |
| Water Soluble (saturated paste) |
|
250 |
| A17: K, Ca, Mg, Na, & SAR* |
40.00 |
|
| A18: CO3 + HCO3 |
12.50 |
|
| A19: Cl |
12.50 |
|
| A20: NO3-N |
12.50 |
|
| A21: SO4-S |
12.00 |
|
| A22: All |
60.00 |
|
| A25: CaCO3 Equivalent |
12.00 |
10 |
Cation Exchange & Exchangeable Cations (NH4OAc extractable) |
|
|
| A23: K, Ca, Mg, Na, & ESP** |
40.00 |
50 |
| A24: CEC*** |
40.00 |
50 |
*Sodium Adsorption Ratio;
**Exchangeable Sodium Percentage; ***Cation Exchangeable Capacity |
|
|
Soil Physical Analyses |
|
|
| A26a: Texture (hydrometer) |
20.00 |
100 |
| A26b: Texture (laser) |
26.00 |
5 |
| A26c: Texture (pipette) |
80.00 |
100 |
| A27: Sand Sieving |
12.00 |
20 |
| A28: Texture & Sand Sieving |
28.00 |
120 |
| A29: Moisture Content |
3.50 |
20 |
| A30: Water Holding Capacity |
20.00 |
50 |
| Soil Mineralogical analysis |
|
|
| A31: Glass Counts |
75.00 |
10 |
| A32: Mineral counts (add $25 for each additional mineral) |
75.00 |
10 |
B: Plant analysis |
|
|
Plant Chemical analysis |
|
|
| B0: Sample preparation |
3.00 |
|
| B1: Pack 1 (NPK, Ca, Mg) |
20.00 |
1 |
B2: Pack 2 (Pack 1 & Cu, Fe,Mn, Zn, Na, S) |
35.00 |
1 |
| B3: C & N |
12.00 |
1 |
| B4: C, N, and S |
20.00 |
1 |
| B5: Ash |
10.00 |
5 |
C: Water analysis |
|
|
Water Chemical Analysis |
|
|
| C0: Sample Preparation |
5.00 |
|
| C1: pH |
3.00 |
10 ml |
| C2: EC |
3.00 |
10 ml |
| C3: NO3-N |
10.00 |
10 ml |
| C4: NH4-N |
10.00 |
10 ml |
| C5: NO3-N & NH4-N |
15.00 |
10 ml |
| C6: P |
7.00 |
10 ml |
| C7: Cl |
10.00 |
10 ml |
| C8: K, Ca, Mg, Na |
15.00 |
10 ml |
| C9: Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn |
15.00 |
10 ml |
| C10: CO3 & HCO3 |
15.00 |
30 ml |
| C11: Total Suspended Solids |
15.00 |
200 ml |
*Prices are lower for UNLV clients. Please contact Dr. Teng for details.
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Mailing Address
(Where to send samples):
Environmental Soil Analysis Laboratory
Department of Geoscience
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4010 |
Contact Person:
Dr. Yuanxin Teng
Tel: (702) 895-3583
Fax: (702) 895-4064
Email: tengy@unlv.nevada.edu |
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