Department: 
Applied Environmental Health (MIAEH)
Room Number: 
2131B
Director: 
Amir Sapkota
The Exposome Small Molecule Core Facility, or the Core, supports the research endeavors of faculty and students across the UMD community. The highly sensitive and accurate instruments available at the Core enable researchers to analyze small molecules in a variety of natural products, environmental samples and human bio-samples. The Exposome Small Molecule Core Facility may be used by individuals and organizations on and off-campus for a fee, based on analysis provided or hourly usage. The highly sensitive and accurate instruments available at the Core enable researchers to analyze small molecules in a variety of natural products, environmental samples and human bio-samples. For more information and to request a quote, please contact exposome@umd.edu

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Faculty researchers at the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health in the School of Public Health (SPH) and other departments in the UMD community analyze small molecules in a variety of natural products, environmental samples and human bio-samples. The identification and quantitation of trace contaminants in complex matrices, including food, air, water, soil and bio-fluids (blood, urine etc.) presents a formidable analytical challenge to exposure scientists and epidemiologists. The Core provides access to equipment that addresses these challenges, including an LC-MS/MS using triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, known as the gold standard in terms of sensitivity and accuracy. 

Director: Dr. Amir Sapkota
Associate Director: Dr. Angus Murphy
Advisory Board: Drs. Amir Sapkota, Angus Murphy, Paul Turner and Don Milton

The Core is located in the School of Public Health, Room 2131B.

Instruments include: 

  • Agilent Instrument 6470 (LC-MS/MS): Agilent G6470CA Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer
  • Agilent HPLC System: G7120A 1300 bar UHPLC

The Agilent 6470 LC-MS/MS system is a bench-top triple quadrupole (QQQ) mass spectrometer capable of analyzing and quantitating very low-level trace compounds with extreme precision. It is designed to be coupled to a UHPLC system to provide compound separation prior to quantitation. Due to its ability to perform MS/MS analysis, the Agilent 6470 QQQ can obtain accurate quantitative information even in the presence of a high level of matrix interference. In addition, the MS/MS capabilities allow for the differentiation between compounds with the same molecular weight. 

Please see the table below for rates based on hourly rental of the facility and/or services provided.

Service Rates

  On-Campus Off-Campus-Non-Profit Off-Campus Commercial
Option 1 (SPE* & Analysis) $70 $100 $120
Option 2 (Analysis Only) $45 $60 $80
Option 3 (Analysis Only - Large Numbers**) $35 $60 $80
Option 4 (Hours) $50 $75 $120
Option 4.1 (Hourly Instrument time only w/o labor) $25 $37.50 $50
Option 5 (Method Development and Analysis of 10)*** $5,000 $7,500 $10,000

*Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)
**More than 100 samples
***Analysis of 10 samples using the newly developed method.