NMR and Imaging Laboratory

This laboratory performs structural and conformational analysis of small molecules and biological macromolecules. Characterisation studies can also be conducted on complex mixtures (foods, beverages, biofluids and biological tissues).

In addition, in vitro and in-cell studies, and studies for the characterisation of contrast media for diagnostic imaging, are performed with dedicated image acquisition equipment (MRI).

Technological equipment

The technological equipment and know-how acquired also allow relaxometric characterisation and diffusion testing on food and materials:

NMR Bruker Avance 600 MHz

Equipped with three probes: quadruple resonance probe (QXI), inverse detection, for 1D, 2D and 3D homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR measurements (1H, 13C, 31P and 15N) on liquid samples (5mm tubes); BBO probe, with a coil tuneable to a frequency that allows the observation of nuclei from 19F to 31P and 15N. It also enables decoupling experiments and observation of the 1H nucleus: HRMAS probe, which enables the study of semi-solid samples (dual probe 1H, 13C), with a Z-gradient aligned along the magic angle.

Bruker Topspin 2.1 management software. SIMCA-P software and Matlab scripts for multivariate statistical analysis of data.

Bruker Avance 300 MHz MRI

Dedicated to MR imaging applications. The Micro 2.5 probe is optimised for micro-imaging of small objects (max. diam. 30 mm) and achieves resolutions of about 100 µm. Observed nucleus: 1H. 30 mm birdcage resonator. Two coils available, 4 mm and 3 cm in diameter. Water-cooled XYZ gradient system (2.5 G/cm/A).

Bruker Paravision 4.0 Management software. Matlab scripts for obtaining relaxation maps.

TDNMR Bruker MINISPEC mq20 AnalySer (00:47 T)

Equipped with 10 mm and 18 mm probes, variable temperature (5°C - 60°C), 4 T/m gradient system, ExpSpel sequence programmer and CONTIN decay rate analysis software. Suitable for broad band measurements.

Raman Bruker Senterra with Bruker Vertex 70 V FT-IR interferometer.

Bruker FT-NIR MPA