State-of-the-Art Laboratories & Equipment

Gain an edge in your future career by learning with leading-edge instrumentation today.

Chemistry, biochemistry and forensic science are rapidly evolving fields, and the programs designed to teach them are only as good as their technology. As a student at Cedar Crest College majoring in one of these fields, you will receive training on more than $3 million of leading-edge equipment, providing you with an in-depth knowledge of the same sophisticated instrumentation and technology used by science professionals today.

You will also have access to exceptional laboratory space for coursework and research, as well as extensive technical library holdings. Cedar Crest College also provides wireless Internet access and a campus-wide computer network.

Technology Available at Cedar Crest College

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry
Uses: Analysis of trace elements in the environment, foods, materials, forensic samples, archeological samples, etc.
Equipment: Buck Scientific Accusys 211 and Perkin-Elmer PE 2380

Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometry
Uses: Determination of concentrations of organic and inorganic substances in solution
Equipment: Beckmann-Coulter DU800 and Helios Alpha

Spectrofluorimetry
Uses: Analysis of tiny quantities of organic substances
Equipment: Quantech spectrofluorimeter and Hitachi F-2500

Gas-Liquid Chromatography
Uses: Numerous applications in analysis of small samples for substances present and their concentrations
Equipment: Various detectors, depending on the task

Mass Spectrometry
Uses: Often coupled with gas chromatography; gives absolute compound identifications and molecular weights
Equipment: Two (2) HP 6890 GC's, each with an HP 5973 mass spectrometer detector.

Mass Spectrometry (Tandem)
Uses: Separating analytes by liquid chromatography and identifying them by a sequence of two mass spectrometers in a row (“tandem”). Cedar Crest is one of very few colleges or universities to have such instruments available for undergraduate students.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Uses: Separations and identifications of pharmaceuticals, natural products, food products, etc.

Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometry
Uses: Identifying organic compounds and components in mixtures, including polymers, drug samples and contaminants
Equipment: Nicolet Impact 410 and Nicolet 380 with a Thermo Scientific “Smart Performer” attenuated total reflectance (ATR) attachment

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry 
Uses: Refined structure determination of organic compounds and absolute identifications
Equipment: Anasazi 90 MHz spectrometer with multi-nuclear capability, Varian/Agilent Inova 500MHz NMR

Voltammetry and Polarography
Uses: With other electrochemical techniques, these are used for studying electron transfer and oxidation states of substances, and following progress of reaction pathways.
Equipment: Bioanalytical Systems CV-1A cyclic voltammetry instrument with assorted electrodes, and Gamry computer-controlled potentiostat

Polarimetry and Refractometry
Uses: Optical methods for many bio-active molecules, including pharmaceuticals, sugars, natural products