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Lab Services

Student Lab  Field Work  Dan Dodson Lab

The Water Center environmental quality lab is state certified to offer unique water and wastewater services.  Please visit the links below or call (931) 372-3538 for more information.  

Please bring water samples to Prescott Hall, Room 426 (on the fourth floor of Prescott), between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The lab is closed for Tennessee Tech administrative holidays.  

  • Homeowners

    Individual homeowners, who are concerned about the levels of bacteria or inorganic compounds in their well water or other non-processed water supplies can find peace of mind by bringing their water samples to the Environmental Quality Lab.

    Water testing available for homeowners:

    Option 1: Basic water chemistry - $100.00

    This option includes the analyses of pH, conductivity, turbidity, total coliform and e. coli, minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, zinc), hardness, and IC scan (nitrate, nitrite, chloride, fluoride, sulfate).

    Option 2: Lead analysis - $35.00 (+ $10 digestion fee per batch of samples)

    Option 3: Bacterial analysis - $30.00

    This option includes the analyses of total coliform and E. coli.

    Other analyses are available; contact the Water Center Lab for information. 

    Sample collection instructions:

    For bacterial analysis: Bacterial samples are accepted Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., in Prescott Hall, Room 426.  Samples are not accepted on Fridays. Contact Phillip Burr with any questions at (931) 372-3538. 

    You can purchase a bottle of drinking water from any store. The standard size is usually around 16.9oz (500mL) of water. Empty the bottled water and refill it with the water you want to have analyzed. Special care must be taken when collecting a sample for bacteria analysis. The container is certified by the manufacturer to be sterile, but should not be opened until you are ready to collect the sample.

    When the sample is taken from a faucet, the aerator screen should be removed prior to sampling, if possible.  Turn the faucet on and let it run for about thirty seconds.  Open the drinking water bottle, pour out the contents, and while keeping your hands as much out of the way as possible, hold the container under the water stream and fill it.  Re-cap the bottle.  Keep the sample bottles cold in a cooler with ice packs or on ice.  They MUST BE transported to the lab as soon as possible after collection. 

    For lead analysis: Limit the use of water from the tap to be tested overnight and then collect the first catch from the faucet in the morning.  Fill a clean glass jar (pint or quart size).  Place plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar before sealing with a metal lid.

    For all other analyses: Simply fill another bottle in the same manner as for bacteria testing and transport both containers to the lab ASAP.  They MUST be delivered to the lab within 6 hours of collection. 

    INFORMATION

  • Businesses

    Caring how their operations impact the environment, businesses and industries turn to the environmental quality lab for answers to their water quality questions and assistance with state and federal regulation compliance.

  • Safety

    Safety is our first priority.  Therefore, we follow strict protocols before approving laboratory facilities access to Tennessee Tech students and faculty.  If you wish to use Water Center facilities for your research work, please meet with Dr. Tania Datta to discuss your needs.  Following that, review the procedures and complete the required forms and safety training modules listed below.  Please go through document 100-100 first, and it will guide you through all the other documents.  Once you have filled out the required forms and completed the training, please submit them to Dr. Tania Datta. 

  • Facilities

    FACILITIES

    The analytical lab has 4,300 square feet that include the following: 

    • a microbiological area for research and analysis (PH419)
    • two programmable temperature and humidity walk-in chambers (contained within PH419)
    • a cold room for sample storage (contained within PH429)
    • a 1,090 sq. ft. wet chemistry and project area (PH428)
    • 1,610 sq. ft. of space for laboratory instrumentation (PH426, 430A, 430B)
    • an organic laboratory for sample preparation, distillation, and extraction (PH429B/PH430C)
    • 308 sq. ft. dishwashing area (PH429)
    • an isolated chemical storage room (PH420)
    • a High-Throughput Sequencing facility equipped with an Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq system (PH421)
    • a Dynamic Light Scattering system

  • Field Equipment

     Coming Soon

  • Price Schedule
  • Directions

     

    DIRECTIONS:  GPS Address -- 1020 Stadium Dr., Cookeville, TN 38505

    From Interstate 40, take Exit 286 and go north on Willow Avenue for 2.8 miles. Turn RIGHT (at Pizza Hut) onto West 7th Street. Continue a short distance (0.2 miles) and take the second LEFT onto Stadium Drive. At the second stop sign, a parking spot for our customers will be immediately on your left, in the corner of the lot. There is a sign designating the spot for Water Center Visitors. Prescott Hall is diagonally across the intersection. The Water Center lab sample receiving area is on the 4th Floor, Room 426. 

    Where to Go Inside Prescott Hall

 

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