Sample submissions

Find out where and how to send your samples to the Noble Gas Laboratory at the A. E. Lalonde AMS Laboratory.

Noble Gas Laboratory submissions

Disclaimer: The AEL AMS Laboratory is a LOW-BACKGROUND laboratory, FREE OF ENRICHED MATERIAL OF ANY KIND (14C, Tritium). As a submitter, you warrant that your samples are free of any enriched material. If enriched material from the samples (or the packaging in which they are shipped) results in contamination of equipment or instrumentation requiring decontamination or replacement, significant charges will be incurred.

Sample submission form

To submit samples for noble gas analysis, please email your completed submission form to [email protected] prior to shipping your samples. (We recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox to download the submission file template):

Please include a printed copy of the submission form with your shipment.

If you require completed chain of custody forms, please let us know prior to shipping samples.

Shipping instructions

  1. Courier or ship samples with registered post (please indicate the tracking number in your correspondence).
  2. Please inform us prior to shipping if you are sending hazardous material.
  3. Classify material as, "Geologically inert samples for destructive scientific analysis - no commercial value".
  4. Send only the material you would like analyzed.
  5. Customs charges are the responsibility of the submitter; they will be added to your invoice.

Mailing address

Noble Gas Laboratory
AEL-AMS Lab, University of Ottawa
Advanced Research Complex (ARC)
25 Templeton Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 6N5, Canada
613-562-5800 ext. 7981

Turnaround time

Current estimated turnaround time 6 months (upon sample receipt)
Updated: 2022-08-25

Estimated turnaround time is based on the date samples are received in the lab. Actual times may vary. Please inform us of any project deadlines, we will do our best to accommodate your request.

For researchers with end of fiscal reporting deadlines (March 31), please ship your samples to the lab by the end of December.

Important sampling information

  1. Please consult with us BEFORE shipping pressurized cylinders, high activity tritium samples, or samples for Radon analysis.
  2. If sampling using clamped Cu tubing (water or gas), please ensure there is at least 3 cm of tubing past the clamp for us to interface the sample with our prep system. Failure to do so may force us to re-clamp and cut the Cu tubing, at which point we cannot guarantee the integrity of the sample.