Early Career: Acquisition of an Accelerated Solvent Extractor and a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer for Lipid Analyses in Organic Geochemistry Research

早期职业生涯：获得用于有机地球化学研究脂质分析的加速溶剂萃取器和气相色谱-质谱仪该奖项提供资金用于在阿拉巴马大学（UA）获得加速溶剂萃取器（ASE）和气相色谱-质谱仪（GC-MS）。这两种仪器对于可靠的脂质分析至关重要，是PI了解水生环境中有机物循环的核心研究工具。脂质是指示当代和古生态系统中有机质来源、质量和保存情况的重要示踪剂。PI过去和正在进行的研究项目的应用实例包括：重建伊利湖在发展和修复其文化富营养化过程中的环境变化；流域人类发展对水体环境有机物循环的影响并为过去厌氧时期居住在海洋中的耐硫化物微生物开发生物标志物。该仪器为UA的地球科学研究和教育提供了最先进的技术支持。它使PI，一个早期的职业有机地球化学家，能够发展一个独立的研究项目，建立跨学科和机构间的合作，并吸引高素质的研究生。这些仪器进一步提高了亚利桑那大学一个研究联盟的研究能力，该联盟由一群不同的、有才华的教师和学生组成，研究过去的气候和环境变化。这种增强的基础设施可以更有效地整合研究、教学和学生培训。地质和环境科学的各种课程将受益于实践活动，例如分析环境污染物或识别指示过去生物体活动的化合物。目前，有12名学生（5名本科生和7名研究生）正在进行需要使用所要求的仪器的研究项目。最重要的是，新仪器支持的研究课题具有重要的社会价值，包括了解有机污染物的分布和代谢，阐明气候变化的影响因素。

Early Career: Acquisition of an Accelerated Solvent Extractor and a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer for Lipid Analyses in Organic Geochemistry ResearchThis award provides funding to acquire an Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE) and a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) at University of Alabama (UA). These two instruments are essential for reliable lipid analysis, which is the core research tool utilized by the PI to understand organic matter cycling in aquatic environments. Lipids are important tracers indicating sources, quality and preservation of organic matter in contemporary and paleo-ecosystems. Examples of application from the PI's past and on-going research projects include: reconstructing environmental changes in the Lake Erie during the development and remediation of its cultural eutrophication; understanding the effects of human development in watershed on organic matter cycling within aquatic environments; and developing biomarkers for sulfide-tolerate microbes that inhabited oceans during past periods of anaerobicity. The instrumentation provides state-of-the-art technological support for research and education in Earth Sciences at UA. It enables the PI, an early career organic geochemist, to develop an independent research program, establish cross-disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration and attract quality graduate students. The instruments further enhance the research capacity of a research consortium at UA investigating past climatic and environmental changes, which comprises a group of diverse and talented faculty members and students. This enhanced infrastructure allows more effective integration of research, teaching and student training. A variety of courses in geological and environmental sciences will benefit from hands-on activities, such as analyzing environmental pollutants or identifying compounds indicating activities of past organisms. Currently, 12 students (5 undergraduates and 7 graduates) are conducting research projects requiring the use of the requested instruments. Most importantly, the research topics supported by the new instrumentation have important society values, including understanding distribution and metabolism of organic pollutants, and elucidating factors governing climate changes.