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

1058517罗森海姆这项MRI RAPID奖资助了一项新的分析技术的技术开发，该技术根据沉积有机质的不稳定性分离沉积有机质。RAPID方案将增加样品吞吐量，使Macondo井口井喷样品能够独立分析，并有助于阐明自然和海湾溢油相关地貌过程（土地利用、下沉、海平面上升、沉积物缺乏）的有机物质分解反应动力学。斜坡热解技术的基础假设是，在相同的沉积物中，较老的沉积有机质更稳定，因此比较年轻的沉积有机质在更高的温度下分解。石油既古老又不稳定，取决于风化程度，这将挑战这一假设。技术开发资金将用于更好地了解含石油污染物的沉积有机质的热解分解动力学。资金将用于建造一个平行的反应堆，其中有一些共享的组件，专门用于与石油泄漏有关的研究，并对中断分解的热解残留物进行化学实验。固体核磁共振将用于确定热解残渣在反应的不同阶段的化学成分。最终，放射性碳分析和x射线近边吸附可用于区分油源物质与天然有机质。新沉积的石油、严重风化的石油和原始海岸沉积物将在墨西哥湾沿岸的不同地点和地区进行测量，提供动力学模型，根据未来几年到几十年的石油污染，可以研究海岸地貌。在墨西哥湾沿岸的新石油仍在冲刷上岸，并刚刚开始风化并融入沉积环境时，寻求快速资金来利用及时获得这些信息的需求。该RAPID将支持从漏油引起的当地沿海地貌变化到沉积物序列中难以确定沉积物层位的年代学，再到河流碳循环的研究。几名本科生将参与实地考察、样品制备和分析。pi已经编制了一份来自不同学术背景的本科生的等待名单，这些本科生渴望获得实地和分析经验。这一项目将促进对可能由石油降解沉积物沼泽和红树林造成的地貌变化的认识。该项目将提高研究生和本科生的教学水平。目前的研究生包括3名未被充分代表的少数民族学生和2名女性。结果将与现有的K-12外展计划相吻合，并在公众关注海湾石油泄漏的情况下获得高知名度。PI。与大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现场调查数据和观察结果。具体环境的资料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. ***