Methane in (CH4) in Gas

The Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) will be closing, effective July 26, 2026.

June 3, 2026
An Update on the Plant Sciences Stable Isotope Facility

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and Supporters,
After a lengthy review process and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to sunset the Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) in its current form, effective July 26, 2026.

The Department of Plant Sciences continues to face hard decisions surrounding funding allocation given the campus-wide request to reduce budgets. Over the past several years SIF has been operating with a significant and growing deficit and, despite extensive efforts over the last several months to find a solution that would allow the facility to continue to provide services to the research community, we have not found a model that is financially sustainable.

I want to thank SIF’s staff for their excellent work and dedication these past 25 years, and everyone who has played a role in supporting this facility.

We are committed to doing our best to support the researchers who rely on the facility during this transition, and will be in touch with individual clients about details of specific plans for handling existing orders over the next several weeks.

Sincerely,
Daniel Potter
Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis

Original Letter

13C and 2H in Methane (CH4) Analysis Pricing
 

Analysis

Turnaround Time (weeks)

2024 Price per Sample (US$)

2025 Price per Sample (US$)

13C in CH4

6 - 8

$15.50

$21.50

2H in CH4

6 - 8

$15.50

$21.50

Headspace Generation
in client submitted 12 mL Exetainer

 

+$5.00

+$8.00

Subsample / Dilution / Transfer
to Autosampler Vial
for dissolved gas preparation

 

+$5.00

+$8.00

Highly enriched samples
(>20 atom%) - surcharge
+$8.00
+$10.00


Turnaround time estimates are valid for projects of 100 samples or fewer.  Contact us for estimates regarding larger projects.

We ask that you send your samples in appropriate vials (i.e. 12 mL Exetainers). The submission of samples in alternative containers must be discussed and approved ahead of sample collection/shipment, otherwise your order may be declined and returned plus shipping cost.

We do not accept gas samples collected in BD Vacutainers with press-fit caps.

Separate gas sample vials are required for each isotope (2H, 13C).

If sending water samples for analysis of dissolved CH4, a minimum of 12 mL of water sample is required for each isotope.