MRI RAPID: Increasing through-put of novel Ramped Pyrolysis Radiocarbon Preparation Technique for Gulf Coast oil spill studies - Instrumentation Development

1058517 Rosenheim该MRI RAPID奖资助了一种新的分析技术的技术开发，该技术基于其不稳定性分离沉积有机物质。RAPID提案将增加样品处理量，以便能够对Macondo井口井喷样品进行独立分析，并将有助于阐明自然和海湾石油泄漏相关地貌过程（土地利用、沉降、海平面上升、沉积物匮乏）的有机材料分解反应动力学。斜坡热解技术基于一个基本假设，即较老的沉积有机物质更稳定，因此在同一沉积物中，比较年轻的沉积有机物质在更高的温度下分解。石油既古老又可能不稳定，取决于风化程度，将挑战这一假设。技术开发资金将用于更好地了解含有石油污染物的沉积有机材料的热解分解动力学。资金将用于建造一个平行反应堆，其中有一些共用部件，专门用于与石油泄漏有关的研究，并对中断分解的热解残余物进行化学实验。固态核磁共振将用于确定热解残留物的化学成分在不同阶段的反应。最后，放射性碳分析和X射线近边吸附可用于区分石油衍生材料与天然有机物质。新沉积的石油，严重风化的石油，和原始的沿海沉积物将从不同的网站和墨西哥湾沿岸地区进行测量，提供动力学模型，从沿海地貌可以在未来几年到几十年的石油污染方面进行调查。寻求快速供资是为了利用及时获得这一信息的需要，而新鲜的石油仍在沿着墨西哥湾沿岸冲上岸，刚刚开始风化并融入沉积环境。这一快速发展方案将支持各种研究，从漏油造成的当地沿海地貌变化，到沉积物序列中难以确定日期的沉积层的年代学，再到河流碳循环。一些本科生将参加实地考察，样品制备和分析。私家侦探编制了一份等待名单，名单上的大学生来自不同的学术背景，他们渴望获得实地和分析经验。该项目将增进对沉积物截留沼泽和红树林的石油降解可能造成的地貌变化的了解。该项目将加强研究生和本科生的教学。目前的研究生包括3名代表性不足的少数民族学生和两名妇女。结果将被纳入现有的K-12外展计划，并获得高能见度鉴于公众对海湾漏油事件的关注。私家侦探。与格兰德岛州立公园的公园经理建立了良好的工作关系，并定期与公园分享有关石油泄漏的实地调查数据和观察结果。具体环境信息将建立一个更广泛的知识库，从而更好地了解有关清理和土地使用变化的决定。 ***

1058517RosenheimThis MRI RAPID award funds technical development of a novel analytic technique which separates sedimentary organic material based on its lability. RAPID proposal will increase sample throughput to allow Macondo wellhead blowout samples to be independently analyzed and will help elucidate organic material decomposition reaction kinetics for natural and Gulf-oil spill related geomorphological processes (land use, subsidence, sea level rise, sediment starvation). The ramped pyrolysis technique is based on the underlying hypothesis that older sedimentary organic material is more stable and thus breaks down at a higher temperature than younger sedimentary organic material - within the same sediment. Oil, being both old and potentially labile depending on degree of weathering, will challenge this hypothesis. Technical development funds will be used to better understand pyrolytic decomposition kinetics in sedimentary organic material containing oil pollutants. Funding will be used to build a parallel reactor, with some shared components, devoted to oil-spill related research and to perform chemical experimentation on pyrolysis residuals of interrupted decompositions. Solid state NMR will be used to determine pyrolysis residue chemical compositions during different stages in the reaction. Ultimately, radiocarbon analysis and X-ray near edge adsorption may be employed to differentiate the oil-derived material from natural organic matter. Freshly deposited oil, heavily weathered oil, and pristine coastal sediment will be measured from different sites and regions of the Gulf Coast, providing kinetics models from which coastal geomorphology can be investigated in terms of oil pollution during the next several years to decades. RAPID funding is sought to capitalize on the need to gain this information in a timely fashion while fresh oil is still washing ashore along the Gulf Coast and just beginning to weather and incorporate into sedimentary environments. This RAPID will support studies ranging from local coastal geomorphologic changes due to the oil spill to chronology of difficult-to-date sediment horizons in sediment sequences to riverine carbon cycling. Several undergraduate students will participate in fieldwork, sample preparation, and analyses. The P.I. has compiled a waiting list of undergraduates from different academic backgrounds that are eager for field and analytical experience. This project will advance knowledge of geomorphologic changes that may result from oil degradation of sediment-trapping marshes and mangroves. The project will enhance teaching at graduate and undergraduate levels. Current graduate students include 3 underrepresented minority students and two women. Results will be dovetailed into existing K-12 outreach programs and gain high visibility given the public concern over the Gulf oil spill. The PI . has established an excellent working relationship with the park manager at Grand Isle State Park and has routinely shared with the park data and observations from field surveys involving the oil spill. Environment-specific information will create a broader knowledge base whereby decisions concerning the cleanup and land-use change will be better understood. ***