Instrument Acquisition to Analyze Water, Soils, and Biomass for Environmental Research, Monitoring, and Assessment

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ABSTRACTA grant has been awarded to Dr. Alexander Fernald and co-principalinvestigators Dr. Laurie Abbott, Dr. April Ulery, and Dr. Clint Loest at NewMexico State University to acquire major research instrumentation to analyzewater, soils, and biomass for environmental research, monitoring andassessment. The awarded funds will enable purchase of four researchinstruments: 1) a Flow Injection Analysis System with ion chromatograph for analysis of major cations and anions in water, soils, and biomass; 2)a Nitrogen/CarbonAnalyzer for determination of N and C in soils and biomass; 3)a Laser Diffraction Particle Analyzer for measuring particle size distribution of suspended sediment and soils; and 4) an X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrum Analyzer for analysis of metals in liquids, soils, and biosolids. The instrumentation will support research that has the goal ofproviding information to: 1) reduce negative environmental effects of land usepractices, and 2) enhance quality of natural resources in New Mexico and thearid Southwest. Land use impacts on water, soil and biomass threatensustainable economic use and ecological health of rangeland, forest,agriculture, and wildlife in New Mexico. Water quality is a growing concernwith increasing competition for limited water supplies and decreasingavailability of high quality irrigation and drinking water. Rapidly growingdairies in New Mexico generate large amounts of animal waste, and pollutionfrom confined animal production threatens water and soil resources. Metalcontamination is a problem in areas of New Mexico with naturally high mineraloccurrence and in areas impacted by mining, military, and agriculturalactivities. As a minority-serving land grant institution, the mission of New Mexico StateUniversity is to conduct meaningful research, to educate and train scientists,and to extend information to the citizens of the state. The state-of-the-artinstrumentation will provide a leap forward in the ability of universityinvestigators to conduct needed environmental research and fulfill the missionto educate. The instrumentation will initially support the research activitiesof four investigators, faculty in three departments, and federal researchers. It will be used to train graduate and undergraduate students in the use of theinstruments as part of their research. Obtaining this equipment will increaseNMSU competitiveness for future grant proposals. The equipment will supportresearch to provide critical information that will allow agencies, communities,and individuals to participate in meaningful and sustainable programs thatreduce negative environmental effects of land use practices and that enhancethe quality of water, soil and biomass resources.