Marine Lab & Veksthuset
The Marine Laboratory is owned and managed by Kings Bay AS and was officially opened 1 June 2005. It is the northernmost experimental laboratory for research in marine ecology, physiology, biochemistry, as well as physical sciences like oceanography, marine geology and ice physics.
The laboratory is located in front o f the harbour with easy access to boats and the beach. It is just a short walk to MS Teisten, a small work boat which is likewise owned and operated by Kings Bay.
The terrestrial laboratory Veksthuset is located in the centre of Ny-Ålesund and includes brand new dry- and semi-wet lab facilities.
Marine Laboratory
Available facilities:
– Smaller rooms with system-controlled experimental variables like air and seawater temperature
– Tanks for experiments with access to sea or fresh water
– Regular lab space and a lab specifically for the use of isotopes
– Milli Q water (pure/ultrapure)
-Outdoor platform
-Seminar room for upt to 30 people
– Dive locker, decompression chamber (the only one on Svalbard!)
The laboratory space, equipment and Teisten are rented out on commercial basis. It is open to all researchers on the same premises. For reservation please also check information on the Ny-Ålesund Research Station website.
MS Teisten
MS Teisten is 31 feet (approx. 9.4 m) long and equipped to do smaller scientific operations, transportation and survey in Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden. Safety equipment is available on board (life raft, life belts and survival suits).
Specifications:
– Crane with speed / meter count and approx. 450 m steel wire
The boat, including captain, fuel and sampling equipment, can be rented by all scientists visiting Ny-Ålesund. Five passengers in addition to the skipper onboard is maximum capacity for sightseeing and transport. For scientific work the maximum number of passengers on board is restricted to four. It is also possible to rent a technician to have an field assistant on board.
Usage of Teisten always depends on the weather and ice conditions, and Kings Bay AS takes no responsibility for cancellation due to unfavourable conditions at sea.
For Teisten bookings please use this form.
Veksthuset
Available facilities:
– One big dry lab for up to 15 people, a fume hood and small storage of chemicals
– One semi-dry lab for up to 5 people, a LAF (laminar air flow) bench, chemical free lab
– Small -80°C freezer, -20°C freezer, fridge with freezing unit
– Milli Q water (pure/ultrapure)
– Washer/Disinfector (Getinge 46-series)
– Freeze dryer
The laboratory space, equipment and Teisten are rented out on commercial basis. It is open to all researchers on the same premises. For reservation please also check information on the Ny-Ålesund Research Station website.
Available equipment in the Marine lab & for usage on Teisten
(for more detailed information please contact Marine Lab coordinator)
Teisten
– Niskin bottles (6×10 l, 1×3 l)
– STD/CTD (SAIV model SD204) with fluorometer, turbidity meter
– Dredges (different types)
– Van Veen grab (1000 cm2 and 500 cm2) an day grab 1000 cm2 (includes rack with funnel and sieves)
– Sieve Set, diameter 200 mm (63 µm, 125 µm, 250 µm, 500 µm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 8 mm, 16 mm)
– Sieve Set, diameter 200 mm (125 µm, 250 µm, 500 µm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 8 mm, 16 mm)
Plankton sampling
– WP-2 net (200 µm, 500µm) with choker
– WP-3 net (1000 µm)
– Spare bucket for WP-2 (200µm) and WP-3 (500µm)
– Plankton net (40 µm, diameter 50 cm, length 280 cm)
– Other small plankton nets (diameter 45 cm and 30 cm)
– Digital Flow Meter with Back-run Stop (KC Denmark)
Microscopes
– Leica DM2000 Microscope (2x)
– Leica MZ6 Stereomicroscope/Bino (3x)
– Leica DFC320 digital camera for microscopes
– Fluorescens lighting for Leica DM2000
– Leica CLS 100x COld light source
– Motic BA400 Microscope
Centrifuges
– Eppendorf 5702, 5702R
– Eppendorf 5415 R
– Eppendorf minispin centrifuge
Scales
– Mettler AB 204-S/F max. 220 g, d=0.1 mg (3x)
– Mettler PB 403-S/F max. 410 g, d=0.001 g(2x)
– Mettler PB 3002-S/F max. 600 g / 3100 g, d=0.01 g / 0.1 g
– UWE ADW-C max. 3000 g, d=1 g
– UWE ADW-C max. 6000 g, d=2 g
Macroalgae sampling
– Plant rake, acc. to Sigurd Olsen KC Denmark
Analysis
– VWR Vortex
– WTW 340i Conductivity meters
– Heidolph MR 3001 K Stirrer / Heater
– VWR VMS-C4 stir and heating plate
– Lonza FlashGel Dock
– VWR UnoCycler
– Spektrophotometer Shimadzu UV-2401
– Spektrophotometer Beckman-Coulter DU Series 700
Heating and Cooling
– Dry Oven Termaks TS9000
– Incubator / drying oven Panasonic MIR 162
– -80°C Freezer
– 20°C Freezer room
– +4°C Cooling room
Available equipment in Veksthuset
Scales
-Sartorius scale max. 220 g, d=0.1 mg
– VWR scale max. 620 g, d=0.001 g
– VWR scale max. 6200 g, d=0.01 g
Glassware
– Funnels
– Measuring cylinders of different sizes
– Beakers of different sizes
– Petri dishes of different sizes
Heating and Cooling
– Freezer and cooler combi
– Small -80°C freezer
– VWR Thermal Shake Lite
– Hecht Assistent Thermostatic Water Bath with thermostat
– VELP Scientifica AREC Connect Heating Magnetic Stirer
– Christ Vacuum Alpha 2-4 LSC Basic Freeze Dryer
Mixing and Sorting
– VWR Micro Star 30 Microcentrifuge
– 3x VORTEX Genie 2
– VWR Star-Beater
– VWR Sieve Set, diamete 200 mm (45 µm, 63 µm, 125 µm, 250 µm, 500 µm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 44 mm; 5x fitting petri dishes)
Analysis
– Thermo Scientific Multiskan FC 96
– VWR pHenomenal MD8000 L Digital Multi Parameter
– 2 sets Thermo Scientific pipette set GLP kit (0.2-2 μL 2-20 μL, 20-200 μL and 100-1000 μL)
Terms & Conditions
Scientists are billed by day (24 hours) and per person for use of the Marine Lab and Veksthuset Lab. The dates in the RiS booking will act as a reference for the billing information. If the day use during the work period deviates from the RiS booking, this should be clarified with the Departmental Engineer prior to departure and the dates should be written in the “Kings Bay user agreement main document” before you leave.
The in-lab start date will not be changed unless there have been issues with transport to Ny-Ålesund. If researchers wish to delay the start of their lab usage, the same conditions apply as for other. This means e.g. for individual bookings (0% charge for a cancellation more than 22 days before arrival, 50% charge for 21–8 days of notice, 100% charge for 7 days or less notice). The end date is flexible and can be changed by a maximum of +/- 5 days without prior notice. Any cancellations of more than 5 days must be made in accordance with the aforementioned conditions. Extensions of lab time will be schedule dependent and up to the discretion of the Departmental Engineer. It is the responsibility of the researcher to clarify dates and billing information with the Department Engineer prior to departure, especially when the usage deviates from the RiS booking.
In case a laboratory is not cleaned sufficiently at the end of the stay, the minimum cleaning fee will be four Kings Bay staff hours.
USER AGREEMENT LABS
The User Agreement is part of the HSE work and quality assurance for all work done in the Marine Laboratory and Veksthuset.
Please familiarize yourself with the relevant documents before working in our labs:
00 Kings Bay user agreement main document (PDF)
01 General introduction to your stay and safety rules in the Kings Bay Laboratories (PDF)
02 Working with hazardous substances guidelines and regulations for the work with chemicals, gases, and radioactive isotopes (PDF)
03 Temperature rooms and water tank rooms guidelines and regulations (PDF)
04 Isotope lab user guide (PDF)
05a Guidelines for management of waste and hazardous waste in Ny-Ålesund (PDF)
05b Form for chemical waste for researchers (.xls)
06 Cleaning procedures non-pandemic (PDF)
07 Emergency contacts (PDF)
08 Standard operating procedure and risk assessment (PDF)
09 Template risk assessment (.xls)
10 Template standard operating procedure (.doc)
11 KB Dive locker (PDF)
CHEMICAL & GAS ORDER
Chemical Orders
All chemical orders need to be placed well in advance of planned use. Kings Bay cannot guarantee that chemicals will arrive on time and is not held responsible for items lost or delayed during shipment. Please use this form to specify your chemical and gas order.
You will find a more detailed description of the ordering process and related questions as e.g. substitution in the document “02 Working with hazardous substances guidelines and regulations for the work with chemicals, gases, and radioactive isotopes”.
Gas Orders
Except for medical oxygen, all gas will be shipped by boat. Boat shipments arrive approximately at least every 8–10 weeks. Therefore, please plan accordingly and place orders early. Usually an order should be placed at the latest two weeks before the boat, M/S Norbjørn, leaves Tromsø. Please be aware, that gas bottles will be subject to a daily rent.
Like for chemicals, the gas order is placed through RiS. We need the following information:
- Type of gas
- Type of connection (e.g. click-on or industrial)
- Type of regulator needed (in case you do not bring your own regulator)
- Amount, e.g. 4 x 5 l
- Type of bottle (in case you have preferences)
Examples: Balloon Helium 200 bar, 4 x 50 l OR Propane, Household, Steel, 11 kg
Ny-Ålesund Research Station
Detailed information about the research activities in Ny-Ålesund, about how to plan and execute a research project here, and a comprehensive description of the research infrastructure available to researchers is provided on the web site for Ny-Ålesund Research Station.