#oh and 216 tubes full of microplastic ion exchange resin

[hylianengineer]

[ID: four large plastic totes overflowing with large black plastic funnels. Three of the totes are placed on a cart, and the fourth is next to the cart because the cart ran out of room. The funnels are not in organized stacks but instead piled haphazardly and look rather like they’re going to fall over at any moment. In a few places plastic tubes are visible connected to the bottom of each funnel - this is why they do not stack nicely. End ID]

#this image represents the single most insane project i have ever been involved in #say hello to my 216 funels! which corresponded to 216 1 liter bottles. 216 plants. 216 different samples under different conditions. #oh and 216 tubes full of microplastic ion exchange resin #this project was nuts. it also involved 2 whole days spent in a greenhouse. one of those was in summer. #anyways. madness. #i loved it but oh my god #it wasn't my project it was one of the plant scientists but as an undergrad i did A LOT of the prep work #i and one other person assembled all those funels and resin tubes. and we acid washed the resin tubes. i wish i had photos #of every available countertop covered in plastic boxes full of resin tubes and acid. #dilute acid but still #acid. so much acid. we made it in 3 liter batches. #too many batches to count #this also involved 74 liters of potassium chloride #which is like... #almost 20 gallons #i am never happier than when lab work gets this insane #hylian does science #biogeochemistry