Laboratory approaches for quantifying microbial process rates and analyte concentrations

Left: Distillation rig used in the measurement of microbial sulfate reduction rates associated with a method based on the incubation of sediment samples with radioactively labeled sulfate. Photographer: M. Marvin-DiPasquale. Date: 3/5/2001.

Middle: USGS researcher Jennifer Agee sub-sampling anoxic sediment in a glove bag flushed with inert nitrogen gas to guard against any potential oxidation reactions that can affect the accurate quantification of the sediment constituents under study. Photographer: M. Marvin-DiPasquale. Date: 3/5/2001.

Right: Oxic and anoxic incubation of sediment slurries associated with experiments focused on the environmental conditions that affect the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in natural systems. Photographer: M. Marvin-DiPasquale. Date: 7/29/2009.