Geochemistry clean room

An infrastructure dedicated to ultra-low contamination level analyses
The ISTerre Clean Room is a high-level scientific infrastructure dedicated to sample preparation for isotopic and multi-element analyses, under strictly controlled particulate and chemical cleanliness conditions.

Clean room

The clean room, available in the ISTerre laboratory, allows specific samples to be put into solution for major, trace, ultra-trace and isotopic analyses.
The samples can be of different types. They can be natural (rocks, soils, sediments, peat, plants, liquids...) or synthetic (cements, metals, glasses...)
They will be prepared for multi-elemental analysis on ICP-OES and/or ICP-MS.

It is also possible to carry out the extraction and purification of elements of interest by chromatography on ion exchange resins, for isotopic measurements by mass spectrometry on MC-ICP-MS (in partnership with the ENS-Lyon). Elements : Hf, Nd, Sr, Pb, Cu, Cd

French version

🧪 ISTerre Clean Room

🔵 Ultra-low contamination sample preparation
The ISTerre Clean Room is a state-of-the-art infrastructure dedicated to sample preparation for isotopic and multi-element analyses, requiring strict control of particulate and chemical contamination.
🔵️ Design and controlled environment
The clean room consists of two distinct functional areas, maintained under permanent slight overpressure relative to the outside environment, in order to limit any ingress of particles or contaminating aerosols.
🔹 The atmosphere is:
➡️ Filtered
➡️ Controlled
➡️ Continuously de-dusted
🔹 Objective:
➡️ Minimize the introduction, generation, and retention of particles,
➡️ Ensure the chemical and isotopic integrity of prepared samples.

📏 Particulate classification
Work area ISO class Environment
Laminar flow hoods ISO 5 Very high cleanliness
Evaporation boxes ISO 5 Very high cleanliness
Clean room areas ISO 7 Controlled atmosphere

🔐 Access, rules, and safety

⚠️ Use of the clean room is subject to:

➡️ a strict internal regulation
➡️ specific safety instructions
➡️ rigorous control of flows: samples, chemicals, equipment, and consumables

*📄 ISTerre Clean Room User Regulations

👉

260716 Charter CR
🔵 “Isotope” Area

Area dedicated to isotopic preparations
This area is specifically designed for isotopic separations, requiring maximum cleanliness conditions and fine control of cross-contamination.
🔵 “Trace” Area

Area dedicated to preparations for multi-element analyses
This larger area is adapted for digestion, evaporation, and chemical treatment of samples intended for elemental analyses at trace and ultra-trace levels.
🧪 Clean Room Equipment

🔹 Handling stations

  • 2 vertical laminar flow hoods with front aspiration
  • 2 chemical fume hoods
    🔹 Evaporation stations
  • 4 evaporation stations with Teflon-coated hot plates (A5) and air filtration (ISO 5)
  • 2 evaporation stations with Teflon-coated hot plates (A4)
    🔹 Cleaning and preparation
  • 1 washing station including:
  • one Teflon-coated hot plate (A5)
  • an Easy Trace Cleaner Junior washing system
  • 1 ultrasonic bath
  • 1 centrifuge
    🔹 Fluids and reagents
  • 1 inorganic acid distiller DST4000 – Savillex
  • 1 ultrapure water system PURELAB Chorus 1 – Veolia
    🔹 Weighing and digestion
  • 1 secure weighing station (powders excluded)
    precision balance 10⁻³ mg
  • 1 ULTRAWAVE microwave digestion system – MILESTONE ECR
    👩‍🔬 Scientific manager of the facility:
    Géraldine Sarret
    📞 +33 4 76 63 51 99
    🔹 Specific consumables
  • Savillex beakers
  • Parr bombs
  • chromatography columns
  • …
    👥 Clean Room Managers

Alexandra Gourlan
📞 +33 4 76 63 59 13 Sylvain Campillo