Waters' Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) Systems extract chemical compounds using supercritical carbon dioxide instead of an organic solvent. The supercritical fluid state occurs when a fluid is above its critical temperature (Tc) and critical pressure (Pc), when it is between the typical gas and liquid state. Manipulating the temperature and pressure of the fluid can solubilize the material of interest and selectively extract it. The sample is placed in an extraction vessel and pressurized with CO₂ to dissolve the sample. Transferred to a fraction collector, the contents are depressurized and the CO₂ loses its solvating power causing the desired material to precipitate. The condensed CO₂ can be recycled.

The Boreal Ecosystem Research Initiative (BERI) laboratories are a multidisciplinary research center located on the Grenfell Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). The purpose of the BERI labs is to facilitate multidisciplinary research in the areas of Boreal ecosystem, agriculture and environmental sciences relevant to the Atlantic region of Canada.  

The facility is divided into a suite of 4 laboratories (preprocess, extraction, molecular and analytical) that house a range of equipment relating to molecular, bio-chemical, imaging, organic inorganic and field (physical soil, air and water) analyses and techniques.

BERI welcomes collaborations or access to conduct agriculture, boreal ecosystem and environmental science based research. Such collaborators include those from industry, government agencies, and academic institutions both nationally and internationally that are using the facility to advance their various research programs.

• Biological and Life Sciences
• Biotechnology
• Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Engineering - Agricultural, Forest, Environmental, Mining, Mineral
• Environmental and Earth Sciences
• Marine/Ocean Sciences

• Biomedical
• Biotechnology
• Agriculture, Animal Science and Food
• Chemical Industries
• Education
• Environmental Technologies and Related Services
• Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Forestry and Forest-Based Industries
• Mining, Minerals and Metals
• Ocean Industries