Acquisition of a DGC Maceral Separation Laboratory: The Key to Maceral-specific Isotopic and Geochemical Analysis

这笔赠款为在肯塔基大学地质科学系建立密度梯度离心机(DGC)提供支持。该设施将使研究人员Susan Rimmer、Ana Carmo、Harold Rowe和他们的学生能够从煤和干酪根中分离出相对纯度(95%)的有机成分，用于随后的地球化学和同位素分析。与光学岩相学相结合，DGC技术可以确定组成单个煤和干酪根显微组分的海洋和陆地有机质的相对比例，并在与质谱学结合时，评估特定于显微组分的稳定同位素比率。DGC设施将支持对泥盆纪-密西西比黑色页岩的调查，并将允许进行显微组分特定同位素测定，以便更好地评估有机质来源和保存程度。将购买的具体设备包括一台能够达到每分钟20,000转的离心机和多个转子，这些转子设计成可以在特定的切点密度下进行离心。其他设备将包括用于精细研磨脱钙有机材料的微粉化器以及各种玻璃器皿用品和试剂。DGC设施将服务于PI培训来自传统代表性不足群体的学生的努力，并将作为全国各地对煤炭岩石学和石油地球化学感兴趣的有机地球化学家的多用户设施。***

0450898RimmerThis grant provides support for the establishment of a density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) facility at the University of Kentucky, Department of Geological Sciences. The facility would enable investigators Susan Rimmer, Ana Carmo, Harold Rowe and their students to separate relatively pure (95%) organic constituents from coals and kerogens for subsequent geochemical and isotopic analysis. In combination with optical petrography, the DGC technique allows for determination of the relative proportions of marine and terrestrial organic matter that make up individual coal and kerogen macerals and, when coupled with mass spectrometry, evaluation of maceral-specific stable isotopic ratios. The DGC facility will support investigations of Devonian-Mississippian black shales and will allow for maceral specific isotopic determinations in order to better evaluate organic matter sources and degree of preservation. Specific equipment that will be purchased includes a centrifuge capable of 20,000 RPM and multiple rotors designed to allow centrifugation at specific cut-point densities. Additional equipment will include a micronizer for fine grinding of demineralized organic materials and various glassware supplies and reagents. The DGC facility will serve the PI's efforts to train students from traditionally underrepresented groups and will be available as multi-user facility for organic geochemists across the country interested in coal petrology and petroleum geochemistry. ***