Please contact the Analytical Lab either by phone or email when a sample batch is being prepared for shipment. For samples which need to be shipped frozen and on dry ice, the Analytical Lab should be contacted immediately prior to shipment and the package should be sent by overnight express (Fed Ex or UPS preferred).
Work Order and Payment
Prior to submitting samples, please complete an MSI Work Order. If you are shipping samples, please include it in the shipment of samples. If you have any questions about how to complete the MSI Work Order, please contact the Analytical Lab.
For MSI Customers
Please provide us with the 5 digit project code. Example: ABC99
For UC Customers
Please provide us with at least the 13 digit accounting code needed for inter-campus fund transfers. Example: 8-402450-19900-3
Account codes are divided into five groups (A-B-C-D-E), as follows:
| Group | Code | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Campus Location Code | A single digit UC Campus Location code | 8 |
| B | Specific Account Code | This six-digit code indicates specific balance sheet, revenue, or expenditure accounts. | 402450 |
| C | Fund Code | Each fund is assigned a separate five-digit code number. Fund coding is required for all income and expenditure accounts, certain balance sheet accounts, and unexpended balances accounts. | 19900 |
| D | Subaccount Code | A single digit required for all expenditure accounts. | 3 |
| E (Optional) | Object Code | The object code is optional and provides a more detailed breakdown. It is used for the natural classification of expenditures by object. | IODABC |
For Non-UC Customers
Please provide us with a Purchase Order or account number to charge. We also accept cash and personal checks. Sorry, but we are currently unable to accept credit cards for payment.
General Information
An itemized sample list needs to be provided along with the MSI Work Order.
Organization is a key factor in the timely and accurate analysis of samples and the subsequent reporting of generated data. Samples should be well organized, clearly labeled, and carefully packaged. Simple sequential sample IDs are preferred. If sample IDs are long or complex, a new numerical ID will be assigned to each sample and a cross-reference key will be provided to you when the data is reported. Include with each shipment a complete list of all samples sent.
Mark all samples clearly and directly on the sample container, as well as the lid. Any masking tape or colored lab-style tape placed on sample vials will fall off during shipment if in the presence of dry ice. Do not use these types of tape to label samples if you plan on shipping samples on dry ice.
Packaging of samples sent to us is the investigator's responsibility. Individual samples should be in appropriately sized, well sealed containers to avoid sample loss or contamination. Please reference the specific Analytical Lab Service for sample volume and size requirements.
Glass vials should be individually protected and well padded overall to prevent breakage in shipment. Use of the original partitioned box with no empty spaces, padded, and placed within a cooler or larger cardboard shipping box is highly recommended. Solid samples and filters should be packed in a manner that keeps them dry. Samples which are inadequately packaged (vials broken, caps loose) will be flagged for possible contamination and possibly may not be analyzed.
We recommend submitting field blanks, storage blanks and controls as part of the sample batch. If possible, both labeled QC samples and blind QC samples should be included in a batch.
Please be sure to inform us if you have additional QC requirements for your samples.
Once the above steps have been taken, please ship to the following address:
Analytical Lab
Marine Science Institute
Bldg 520, room 4002
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150
If return shipping is requested for coolers, boxes, or samples, please indicate on the MSI Work Order submitted with the samples. You can either include a prepaid label within the shipment of samples or provide us with a FedEx account number to charge. We will ship your samples and boxes or coolers back to you post-analysis.
If return shipping is not needed or indicated, we will hold the samples for 90 days. Samples will be discarded 90 days after analysis is completed.