Platform of Chemical Analyses

The Platform of Chemical Analyses in Ecology(PACE) is a department of the Structure Fédérative de Recherche Montpellier Environnement Biodiversité . The PACE offers the following services to any member of the research units belonging to the SFR MEB:

• Tools for the preparation and conditioning of samples before analysis;
• Analytical methods for organic and mineral compounds in various sample types;
• Assistance for the development and setup of new analytical methods.

The users perform the analyses themselves. The staff takes care of the training of users to the various analytical methods, and helps them for the interpretation of their results.

The PACE has developed three analytical hubs:

1. Chemical ecology : sampling, extraction, purification and analysis of molecules involved in the relationships between organisms or between organisms and their environment (the PACE offers access to 4 GC-FID dedicated to the analysis of volatile organic compounds, including 2 GC-MS and one GC coupled to an electro-antennogram) ;
    
2. Soil and plant materials: basic analyses (CHN analyzer, automated discrete chemistry analyzer; absorption atomic spectroscopy), membrane compounds (fiber analyzer), chemometry (FT-IR, NIRS)
    
3. Microbiological analyzes: microbial activities (substrate induced respiration with GC-microcatharometer, potential nitrification and denitrification activities with GC-ECD ; MicroResp™), microbial community analyses (PLFAs with dedicated GC-FID).