At the heart of Florida LAKEWATCH is our water chemistry laboratory. This facility processes over 60,000 water samples annually to monitor and better understand water quality throughout Florida’s diverse aquatic ecosystems. The LAKEWATCH lab provides the analytical backbone for our long-term monitoring efforts, ensuring high-quality, reliable data that informs local, regional, and statewide water resource management.
Core Laboratory Services:
- Water Chemistry Analysis
- Total Phosphorus (TP)
- Total Nitrogen (TN)
- Chlorophyll-a
- Color (true color via platinum-cobalt method)
- Specific Conductance
- Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
- Duplicate sampling
- Blind quality control samples
- Comparison studies with state agencies
Our primary obligation is to analyze samples from waterbodies within the LAKEWATCH program. When our capacity permits, our lab may analyze additional samples that support our program mission. More specifically, our lab can analyze water samples for total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll-a (corrected and uncorrected for phaeophyton), color, and conductivity for select research, teaching, and extension projects. However, we are not a commercial lab and all projects must be approved by our director before samples are submitted. Additionally, our timeline is extended, when compared to a service lab because we prioritize analyzing volunteer samples first and foremost; while 1-2 months is our typical turn-around time, it may take up to six months from drop off to receive your results. Our current fee schedule can be found Lab Rates, please contact fl-lakewatch@ufl.edu if you are interested in our services.
Our lab also houses a Nippon MA-3000 Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA), which primarily analyses sediments or fish and invertebrate tissues for total mercury concentrations on a parts per billion basis. This instrument is used for our research and select extension and teaching activities. If interested in mercury analysis and collaborating with our team, please contact please contact Dr. Lescord at lescord.g@ufl.edu. Reports showing mercury data in fish from select lakes can be found under our reports page.
Supporting Volunteers and Research
LAKEWATCH wouldn’t be possible without our network of citizen scientists. Our laboratory exists to support their efforts and to produce data that stands up to scientific and regulatory scrutiny. Our laboratory operates under and follows strict QA/QC procedures to ensure accuracy and consistency across all samples. The lab is staffed by trained technicians and supported by UF scientists. In addition to supporting long-term monitoring, our lab services are frequently used in collaborative research projects, environmental assessments, and educational programs.