Oceanography and Hydrologic Science

Dive Deeper into the Study of Oceans and Hydraulic Systems with Analytical Tools that are as Diverse and Hard-working as the Scientific Community

Bruker helps scientists characterize the vital resources and life forms found in and around bodies of water. Our instrumentation facilitates gathering and analyzing fundamental data as well as creating models to interpret and predict the dynamic and various processes of and within water.

Data-Driven Solutions for the Interdisciplinary Work of Oceanography, Hydrology, Limnology and Glaciology

Elemental map through a deep-sea hydrothermal vent

Bruker is committed to providing more than just instrumentation; we deliver data-driven solutions for the interdisciplinary work of oceanography, hydrology, limnology, and glaciology:

Compositional studies of formation, distribution, and geologic framework from the surfaces to the depths of oceans, seas, glaciers, lakes, and ponds as well as the rivers and estuaries they interface with
Marine resource exploration and utilization, from mining of hydrothermal vents and mid-ocean ridges to the study of seafloor sediment patterns for the safe construction and structural integrity of wind farms

Environmental assessments for preservation and restoration of ecosystems, habitats, biological life forms, and land erosion impacted by natural or anthropogenic events with contaminants such as heavy metals in sediments and oil in water
Research into the accumulation of microplastic pollutants (MPPs) which not only threaten marine life, but cause biomagnification through the uptake by marine organisms and fish to contaminate the human food chain

Bruker’s solutions approach to oceanography and hydrologic sciences means that our experts will help you select the best instrumentation, software, and calibrations needed for your work. We empower the selection of the right analytical technology to provide reliable value where and when it’s needed.

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ED-XRF for Oceanography & Hydrologic Sciences

Bruker’s analytical equipment is rugged and used in environments from the tropics to the artic and compact and stable enough for shipboard deployment

Energy dispersive XRF (ED-XRF) enables non-destructive, simultaneous analysis of elemental concentrations in solids, powders, and liquids with little to no sample preparation. These data support compositional studies of oceanic minerals to determine their formation and distribution which facilitates exploration and utilization of natural resources. They also support environmental assessments for the preservation and restoration of land and life forms found in and around bodies of water. Bruker XRF solutions include:

The S2 PUMA Series 2 high-capacity benchtop is capable of analyzing from C to Am with options for one, 12, and 20 sample changers
The CTX, a new portable single-sample small and ruggedized XRF with battery backup is capable of quickly analyzing from Mg to U
The S1 TITAN handheld XRF, the most flexible XRF is capable of quickly analyzing samples in-situ or with optional safety-interlocked benchtop stand from Mg to U

Micro-XRF for Oceanography & Hydrologic Sciences

A micro-XRF image of Daphnia collected with the M4 TORNADO

Micro-XRF (µ-XRF) not only enables non-destructive, simultaneous elemental analysis with little to no sample preparation, it also provides mineral density distribution maps of rock, sediment core, and biological life forms on a microscopic level. These data support compositional studies of oceanic minerals to determine their formation and distribution which facilitates exploration and utilization of natural resources. They also support environmental assessments for the preservation and restoration of land and life forms found in and around bodies of water. Bruker XRF solutions include:

The M4 TORNADO^PLUS is capable of analyzing from C to Am with its multi-functional computer-controlled He-purge for sample spot sizes down to <25µm and utilizes a TurboSpeed X-Y-Z stage for elemental distribution analysis “on the fly”
The M4 TORNADO AMICS combines the ultra-fast elemental distribution analysis of the M4 TORNADO spectrometer with the powerful advanced mineral identification and classification software, AMICS

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Total reflection XRF for Oceanography & Hydrologic Sciences

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) is a well-established method for ultra-trace elemental analysis with detection limits in the sub-part-per-billion (ppb) range. It is well suited for of a variety of samples, but especially for liquids and biological tissues. These data support environmental assessments for the preservation and restoration of land and life forms found in and around bodies of water. Bruker TXRF solutions include:

The S4 T-STAR, a new benchtop TXRF spectrometer capable of simultaneously analyzing elements from Mg to U, is optimized for 24/7 operation in industrial routine analysis and designed for multi-user operation with a high capacity of 90 samples
The S2 PICOFOX, a compact and mobile benchtop TXRF spectrometer is capable of simultaneously analyzing elements from Mg to U for cost-efficient environmental analysis

Microscopy for Oceanography & Hydrologic Sciences

Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) and Raman Microscopy enable a careful analysis of microplastic particles (MPP) to help determine their origin, formation, and the degree of their contamination. These data support environmental assessments for the preservation and restoration of land and life forms found in and around bodies of water. Bruker vibrational microscopy solutions include:

The LUMOS II and HYPERION FTIR Microscopes utilize each chemical substances’ own IR signature, just like a fingerprint, to identify and separate all types of polymers with the highest measuring sensitivity and spatial resolution available, and automatically compares samples with its extensive spectral libraries.
The SENTERRA II confocal Raman Microscope is capable of contactless sample measurement providing crucial insight into the nature of plastic products and yields information on material distribution with dedicated spectral libraries allowing the identification of unknown compounds, fillers and additives

Learn more about Microplastics

Webinars on Oceanography and Hydrologic Science

ON-DEMAND SESSION - 63 MINUTES

Seeing the world through other eyes

Scanning micro-XRF has developed into a highly informative analytical tool for the study of complex samples across multiple disciplines.

Webinar Recording | 60 Minutes

Nanoscale Chemical and Structural Properties of Biological Systems from the Single Molecule to Living Organisms

In this webinar, Dr. Simone Ruggeri will discuss his research focusing on recent developments in infrared absorption nanospectroscopy.

ON-DEMAND SESSION - 64 MINUTES

Rapid on-site trace element analysis of wastewater, sewage and industrial effluents

This webinar will demonstrate the performance of compact TXRF spectrometers and their application to industrial wastewater, sewage and process runoff.

Publications Related to Oceanography and Hydrologic Science

Video

Portable XRF for Coastal Wetlands Research

Oceanographic research helps in the planning, protection, and restoration of coastal wetlands. These landforms help protect us from storm surge flooding, control land erosion, improve water quality, and aid in the biodiversity of edible fish species. Tracking the movements of minerals and metals from extreme weather events, climate change effects, and from harmful anthropogenic activities is a critical component of this research. Hence, elemental analysis is needed.