Collaborative Research: Can Raman spectroscopy be used as a high-accuracy method to identify bivalve larvae?

双壳类幼虫是出了名的困难和耗时的识别到物种的水平，和一种快速和准确的识别方法将使一类新的生态领域的双壳类招聘过程的研究。拉曼光谱使用聚焦激光束来测量双壳类贝壳中的碳酸钙和有机颜料分子，并可能允许基于瓣膜的组成来识别物种。使用单波长拉曼光谱，PI能够区分东方牡蛎幼虫从其他六个双壳类物种与100%的准确度，而其他三个物种的识别准确率大于80%。主要研究人员建议购置一部三波长共焦拉曼显微镜，以提高分辨能力，并测试拉曼光谱技术在鉴定双壳贝类幼虫方面的效能。他们将收集和分析20种双壳类幼虫的拉曼光谱，以确定是否存在可靠的物种特异性差异，并将探索改进光谱结果分析的方法。研究人员计划从他们的研究中创建一个开放的光谱数据库，将提供一个关于他们的方法的讲习班，并将在特定的使用条件下向社区提供设备。

Bivalve larvae are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to identify to species level, and a method for rapid and accurate identification would enable an entire class of new ecological field studies of bivalve recruitment processes. Raman spectroscopy uses a focused laser beam to measure the calcium carbonate and organic pigment molecules in bivalve shells and potentially allows identification of species based on the composition of the valves. Using single wavelength Raman spectroscopy, the PIs were able to distinguish Eastern oyster larvae from six other bivalve species with 100% accuracy, while three other species had identification accuracies greater than 80%. The PIs propose to purchase a 3-wavelength confocal Raman Microscope to improve discrimination and test the efficacy of Raman spectroscopy for widespread application in bivalve larval identification. They will collect and analyze Raman spectra on larvae of 20 bivalve species to determine if reliable species-specific differences exist, and will explore methods to improve analysis of spectral results. The investigators plan to create an open database of spectral data from their studies, will offer a workshop on their methods, and will make the equipment available to the community under specified conditions for use.