MRI: Acquisition of a Mass Spectrometer for Research and Research Training in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Carleton College

通过这项来自主要研究仪器（MRI）项目的奖励，来自卡尔顿学院的Deborah Gross教授和他的同事Steven Drew， Gretchen Hofmeister， David Alberg和Joseph Chihade将获得一台高压液相色谱仪与质谱仪（HPLC/MS）的接口。该提案旨在加强各级的研究培训和教育，特别是在以下领域：(a)描述酶的结构-功能关系；(b)大鼠脑内多巴胺定量；(c)绘制酶与其RNA底物之间的界面；(e)小到中等大小分子的合成和/或表征；(f)在二次有机气溶胶中形成的复杂有机化合物；(g)在确定约会强奸药物和指纹测量方面的法医应用。高效液相色谱-质谱结合了液相色谱的物理分离能力和质谱的质量分析能力。液相色谱仪在压力下将混合物分离成其分子组分。这些成分流入质谱仪，在那里它们被电离成母离子和碎片离子，并测量它们的质量/电荷比。这种高度灵敏的技术可以测定粒子的质量，它们的化学成分，并可以推断出复杂混合物中物质的结构。该奖项提供的仪器将为卡尔顿学院和圣奥拉夫学院的教师和学生提供使用现代、最先进仪器进行研究项目的机会。它还将用于几个实验课程，以训练大量学生使用这一重要的分析技术。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Professor Deborah Gross from Carleton College and colleagues Steven Drew, Gretchen Hofmeister, David Alberg and Joseph Chihade will acquire an high pressure liquid chromatograph interfaced to a mass spectrometer (HPLC/MS). The proposal is aimed at enhancing research training and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) characterizing the structure-function relationships of enzymes; (b) quantification of dopamine in rat brains; (c) mapping the interface between an enzyme and its RNA substrate; (e) synthesis and/or characterization of small to mid-size molecules; (f) complex organic compounds formed in secondary organic aerosols; and (g) forensic applications in determination of date-rape drugs and fingerprint measurements.An HPLC-MS combines the physical separation capability of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis ability of mass spectrometry. The liquid chromatograph with pressure separates a mixture into its molecular components. These components flow into a mass spectrometer where they are ionized into a parent ion and fragment ions and their mass/charge ratios are measured. This highly sensitive technique allows determination of the masses of the particles, their chemical composition and enables one to deduce the structure of the substances in a complex mixture. The instrumentation provided by this award will provide faculty and students the opportunity to pursue research projects at Carleton College and St. Olaf College using modern, state-of-the-art instrumentation. It will also be used in several laboratory courses to train significant numbers of students in the use of this important analytical technique.