Unprecedented infrastructure for chemical analysis in Barentsburg: First experience of international cooperation in frame of BARELAB project

The new facility for chemical analysis was established in Barentsburg in 2014-2016 with capacity for the entire sample processing from fieldwork to instrumental analysis.
The laboratory occupies a specialty building with ca 300 m2 of lab space and includes an LC-MS-MS, GC-MS, 2xLC, GC, AAS, TCN analyser and photometers as major equipment for ultra-trace chemical analysis.
The BARELAB project (Integration of the New Lab Facility for Chemical Analyses in Barentsburg into International Cooperation in the Arctic, RCN project no. 246744/E10) is a collaboration between AARI, North-Western branch of Typhoon (Russia), NILU, NMBU and UNIS (Norway) aimed at establishment of a state-of-the-art environmental analytical laboratory in Barentsburg, coordination of research activities and facilitating the integration of the lab facility into international cooperation in the Arctic.

BARELAB program includes planning of joint experimental work, intercalibration exercises, technology transfer, educational activity and training. In the future, it should allow development of scientific collaborations and involvement in relevant international project initiatives.

A number of pilot collaborative projects were initiated through training and research visits, participation in conferences and educational activities:
 Participation in NORMAN Workshop, NIVA, Oslo, March 2016;
 Laboratory management, QA/QC acquaintance: UiT, UNN, NILU, NMBU, Tromsø – Oslo, June 2016;
 Passive air sampling in Barentsburg with NILU, June-September 2016;
 Passive water sampling of Grønfjorden area with NIVA, July-September 2016;
 Participation in DIOXIN-2016 Symposium, Florence, Italy, August 2016;
 Lecture-seminar at UNIS, September 2016;
 Participation in 6th Norwegian Environmental Toxicology Symposium, Oslo, October 2016;
 Participation in Workshop “Adaptation to environmental changes in the Arctic”, Tromsø, October 2016;
 Field and lab practice on method development for environmental pollution measurements AT-324/824 “Techniques for the Detection of Organo-Chemical Pollutants in the Arctic Environment” for post-graduate students was hosted and held in Barentsburg lab facility, (Prof. Roland Kallenborn, UNIS), January 2017;
 Participation in ICCE-2017 Conference, Oslo, June 2017;
 Sample preparation and LC-MS-MS for PFAS analysis. Training at NILU laboratory, Tromsø, July 2017;
 Joint applications for NFR, Svalbard funds or Framcenter Flagship grants.

Establishment of an advanced laboratory for trace analysis in Barentsburg faced a number of challenges in the last two years in such areas as logistics, laboratory supplies, communication, expertise and analytical methods. Our experience suggests that not only science-related issues, but management-related ones as well can be often solved in a better way by means of international collaboration. Further development and efficient use of the lab facility seems feasible and to be possible only through broad involvement into the relevant international initiatives and projects.

Acknowledgement. Financing of the BARELAB project by The Research Council of Norway (project