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TrACEES

Melbourne TrACEES Platform

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Melbourne TrACEES Platform (Trace Analysis for Chemical, Earth and Environmental Sciences) is the first University platform to support existing and initiate new research requiring high quality surface chemical analysis, trace elemental and speciation analysis, and associated structural chemical analysis.

  • Capabilities

    TrACEES Platform’s core capabilities are identification and quantitation of elements, chemicals and structures on the surface of a sample, or within a complex matrix.

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  • Access

    The platform is a key research infrastructure in the University, and houses a range of state-of-the-art equipment. We offer training and access for selected equipment and analytical services.

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  • Our people

    Learn about our people behind the Melbourne TrACEES Platform.

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Our mission

Melbourne TrACEES Platform is dedicated to providing high quality and unique surface and chemical analysis, technical support and expertise for researches in chemical, earth, environmental, and life sciences together with ongoing training of research students and staff.

Our vision

Melbourne TrACEES Platform will offer world class surface and chemical analysis services to researchers of the University, other academic and research institutions and industry to support cutting edge researches and training development of research partnerships and excellence.

Other platforms

For more information about the wider platform community, please visit Research Website, which is available to all visitors. Details about the University’s research infrastructure related resources and services can be found on Research Gateway, which is available to the University of Melbourne staff and Graduate Researchers.

  • Materials characterisation and fabrication platform

  • Mass spectrometry platform

  • Advanced imaging platform

TrACEES Platform’s core capabilities are identification and quantitation of elements, chemicals and structures on the surface of a sample, or within a complex matrix.

Our services

Melbourne TrACEES Platform offers a range of general and specialised analytical services for water, soil, biological, polymers, constructions and geological samples including nutrients, trace elements, toxic heavy metals (e.g. Hg, Se, As), organic compounds (semi-volatiles, fatty acids and alcohols). These services allow researchers and clients to enjoy peace of mind and is the best option for those who have limited knowledge and skills in analytical instrumentation.

Our technologies

Melbourne TrACEES Platform is a key research infrastructure in the University and houses a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment.

  • EMPA

    Electron microprobe analyser is able to visualise and analyse all elements from Boron to Uranium.

  • ESEM

    Environmental scanning electron microscope permits wet and insulating samples to be imaged at micron scales.

  • GCMS

    GCMS is an analytical tool to identify and quantify volatile organic molecules.

  • ICPOES

    Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometer is an analytical tool to identify and quantify over 70 elements at low parts per million level.

  • IRMS

    Isotope ratio mass spectrometry is used to measure the relative abundance of isotopes in a sample.

  • ICPMS

    Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer is an analytical tool to identify and quantify over 70 elements at low parts per billion (or even trillion) level.

  • Micro-CT

    micro-Computed Tomography reconstructs 3D image and enable to visualise inside the object without destroying the structure.

  • PY-GCMS

    Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry is widely applied for the identification of polymeric materials.

  • SFA

    Segmented flow analyser is a highly automated and high throughput technique for multiple anions analysis.

  • TCN

    Total carbon and nitrogen analyser determines content of carbon and nitrogen (in percentages) in a sample (soil and plant).

  • TGA

    Thermal gravimetric analysis is a method of thermal analysis in which the mass of a sample is measured over time as the temperature changes.

The platform is a key research infrastructure in the University, and houses a range of state-of-the-art equipment. We offer training and access for selected equipment and analytical services.

Postera Crescam Laude

Make a booking now

Equipment training and booking is generally open to all academic users from the University of Melbourne or other universities and research institutes. TrACEES also offers a range of analytical services which best meet most external requirement.

Make a booking or request

iLab reference guides

Melbourne TrACEES Platform has adopted a new equipment booking and service request system - iLab. Please refer to the following reference guides for Principle Investigator (supervisor) and Researcher (user) such as lab group creation (PI), account registration, etc.

Contact TrACEES

If you have an enquiry about our capabilities or services, or would like to discuss how we can help you, please phone +61 3 8344 6485 or email us.

Email us

Melbourne TrACEES Platform is governed by Capability Steering Committee who provides strategic direction and senior leadership, and Users Committee who brings invaluable guidance and feedback representing a broad multi-disciplinary user community.

Platform staff

Our specialised academic and technical expertise provide consultation and assist researchers and clients with their analytical enquiries.

Dr. Alex Duan

Platform manager

Dr. Jay Black

Academic specialist
Geo node, micro-CT

Dr. Augustine Doronila

Senior analyst
Chemistry node

Michael Hall

Node supervisor
Soil node

Lachlan Hurley-Shaw

Technical analyst
Soil node

Graham Hutchison

Technical specialist
Geo node, EMPA & ESEM

Dr. Yukie O'Bryan

Technical specialist
Chemistry node

Najib Ahmady

Technical analyst
Soil node

Steering Committee

The Capability Steering Committee provides strategic direction and senior leadership to the Melbourne TrACEES Platform.

Prof. Spas Kolev

Chair of Steering Committee
Professor
School of Chemistry
Faculty of Science

Dr. Maria Ines Almeida

Research fellow
School of Chemistry
Faculty of Science

Prof. Deli Chen

Professor
School of Agriculture and Food
Faculty of Veterinary and
Agricultural Sciences

Prof. Ralf Haese

Professor
School of Earth Sciences
Faculty of Science

Prof. Richard O'Hair

Professor, Head of School
School of Chemistry
Faculty of Science

Prof. David Phillips

Professor, Head of School
School of Earth Sciences
Faculty of Science

A/Prof. Helen Suter

Associate Professor
School of Agriculture and Food
Faculty of Veterinary and
Agricultural Sciences
 

Users Committee

The Users Committee who brings invaluable guidance and feedback representing a broad multi-disciplinary user community.

Dr. Petronella Nel

Chair of Users Committee
Lecturer, Grimwade Centre for Culture Materials Conservation
Faculty of Arts

A/Prof. Suzie Reichman

Director of CAPIM
School of Biosciences
Faculty of Science

Dr. Maria Ines Almeida

Representative of Steering Committee, Research fellow
School of Chemistry
Faculty of Science

Dr. Clayton Butterly

Senior lecturer
School of Agriculture and Food
Faculty of Veterinary and
Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Shuaijun Pan

Research fellow
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Melbourne School of Engineering

Dr Sameera Sirisena

Tutor, Research fellow
School of Agriculture and Food
Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences

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