Chemistry Services
Analytical Lab
Laverstoke Park has equipped a fully comprehensive analytical chemistry laboratory. The laboratory has been primarily designed for soil and food analysis with the agricultural community in mind. The services of the laboratory are aimed to provide consultants, farmers, horticulturists, amenity managers and the food industry with reliable, analytical data to make sound decisions on management practices. Laboratory facilities include several high tech mass spectrometers including ICP-MS, LC-MS and GC-MS in addition to traditional analytical instrumentation.
ICP-MS - Used for elemental determination in various sample matrices to part per trillion concentrations.
GC-MS - Analysis of flavour and volatile species in samples, allowing for pesticide and food/beverage analysis.
LC-MS - Versatile powerful technique allows for the analysis of specific compounds within complex samples.
Our Services
Soil chemistry: Total, Albrecht and Reams Analyses
We provide a range of soil analyses including pH, UK soil indices, organic matter, total extractions and the Albrecht and Reams methods. The total extractions provide insight into the total levels or long term supply of soil nutrients. The Albrecht method yields information on the exchangeable fraction (medium term supply) of soil nutrients and the cation exchange capacity, while the Reams method uses a weak extractant which mimics that of root exudates and highlights the soluble or plant available fraction of essential nutrients (short term supply). We also provide analytical services made to order and can cater for any specific requirements you may have.
Here we have the graphical representation of different nutrient supplies that the crop is able to access. There are three pools of nutrients here, the total extractable or a very much long term nutrient supply, in the middle, the medium term supply, we have what we call the exchangeable fraction and lastly we have the soluble pool which is a short term supply to the crop. Nutrients will move through these different pools, they will begin their life in the total pool and by the activity of micro organisms or biology, you can see the arrow moving down, nutrients will move down into an exchangeable form and then again by the activity of the organisms or biology into the soluble/short term pool and from there they will then be absorbed by the route system. This is how nutrients become available and by the activity of micro organisms is a integral link between each of these phases and as a result making sure that we have biologically active soils and lots of micro organisms growing and present in our soils is very important for making sure that nutrients become available to our crops.
Combining the information from our comprehensive chemistry analysis with our biological testing services, can provide growers with valuable information and insight into both the chemical and biological fertility of their soils which is the foundation of a sustainable farm.
Food Chemistry
We can also test for a diverse range of compounds and elements from several sample types, including plant tissue, fruit, vegetables, food products and beverages. Analyses we offer include:
- Analysis of major and minor elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, P etc)
- Potentially Toxic Elements and other heavy metals (As, Hg, Cd, Ni, etc)
- Anions and Cation Analysis (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, sulphate, phosphate etc)
- Flavour compounds in food(s)
Figure above: SPME-HS-GC-MS chromatogram of Laverstoke Park Farm Organic Ale, several phytochemical compounds were identified.
