I have been carrying out lab work both in Tromsø and in Oslo this semester. One recent activity has been to freeze-dry my samples. Under a controlled pressure and temperature environment, one can force all water to leave their sample, which is useful for procedures such as stable isotope analysis.
Drying under a cold temperature is more convenient than warm temperatures, as lighter chemicals may evaporate when you heat your sample. For example, think of cake baking and how you can smell it when it is heated in the oven.
I am looking forward to digging into results of all my lab work in autumn.
