NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Singapore

这一行动资助麻省理工学院的詹妮弗·阿佩尔于2013年夏天在新加坡国立大学进行了一个工程学研究项目。该项目的标题是“用传统和被动抽样数据构建的食物网模型的比较”。主持会议的科学家是巴里·凯利博士。食物网络模型允许根据在沉积物、水或空气中测量的浓度来预测生物群中的化学物质浓度，通常用于修复决策和建立受污染地点的清理目标。然而，该模型的准确性取决于对污染的描述程度。传统的沉积物采样技术经常错误地估计生物群容易积累的污染物的浓度，这被称为生物可利用部分。然而，由聚合物材料制成的被动采样器可以作为生物群的替代品，并已被证明是对生物可用浓度的更准确估计。这项研究使用Gobas食物网模型中的多氯联苯污染物浓度，使用传统和被动采样技术测量，以比较结果并评估这些采样技术对模型的影响。EAPSI奖学金的广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；对各自地点的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施的介绍；以及对社会、文化和语言的定位。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，这项研究的结果可能会导致对受污染沉积物场地的评估和修复方式的创新。调查结果将提交给参与修复超级基金网站的各方以及麻省理工学院的研究生和本科生。

This action funds Jennifer Apell of Massachusetts Institute of Technology to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at National University of Singapore in Singapore. The project title is "Comparison of Food Web Models Constructed with Traditional and Passive Sampling Data." The host scientist is Dr. Barry Kelly.Food web modeling, which allows for the prediction of chemical concentrations in biota based on concentrations measured in sediments, water, or air, is often used for remediation decisions and to establish cleanup goals for contaminated sites. Yet, the accuracy of the model is dependent on how well the contamination is characterized. Traditional sediment sampling techniques often incorrectly estimate the concentration of contaminants that are readily accumulated by biota, which is referred to as the bioavailable fraction. However, passive samplers, constructed of a polymeric material, can act as surrogate for biota and have been shown to be a more accurate estimate of the bioavailable concentration. This research uses contaminant concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, measured using both traditional and passive sampling techniques, in a Gobas food web model to compare the outcomes as well as evaluate the impact these sampling techniques have on the model.Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, results from this research could lead to innovation in the way contaminated sediment sites are evaluated and remediated. Findings will be presented to parties involved in the remediation of Superfund sites as well as graduate and undergraduate students at MIT.