The LCABIE was founded in 1997 by a merger of the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry (headed by Michel Astruc) with the groups of Olivier Donard and Ryszard Lobinski having moved from the CNRS in Bordeaux. Today, the LCABIE is one of the four research sub-units of the Research Institute on Environment and Material Science (UMR5254).
Our research focuses on the development of instrumentation and analytical methods for speciation (detection, identification and quantification of chemical forms) of metals and metalloids in order to understand on the molecular level the ecodynamics of mineral contaminants and their transfer to biota as well as the mechanisms of essentiality and toxicity of trace elements in the chemistry of life.
Instrumentation is mainly based on mass spectrometry and molecular and atomic spectrometry for detection and chromatography and electrophoresis for separation.
In addition to fundamental and applied research the LCABIE is actively involved in technology transfer and teaching at the University of Pau.
The LCABIE staff counts 7 CNRS scientists, 14 university professors and assistant professors, 10 engineers and about 40 post-docs and Ph.D. students.