MRI: Acquisition of a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for research and teaching on marine organisms and biogeochemistry

元素周期表的元素为地球和居住在地球上的有机体提供了基石。测定生物体的元素组成以及其他共生的环境物质，为理解基本的分子和生态过程，确定对环境中生物过程的控制，以及揭示地球过去的环境条件提供了宝贵的信息。此外，生物和环境样品的元素组成对于资源管理者和商业生产者来说是重要的信息。这项奖励将与非联邦配套资金一起资助购买四极电感耦合等离子体质谱仪，供毕格罗海洋科学实验室的研究人员和附近本科院校的教职员工和学生使用。该仪器将能够进行元素测量，以了解海洋和河口的生物地球化学元素循环，以及我们对过去环境条件和海洋物种对未来气候变化的潜在反应的了解。该仪器将用于鲍登学院和科尔比学院的研究项目和与课程相关的教学。此外，该仪器将为参加毕格罗实验室、S现场暑期REU项目和秋季变化海洋学期项目的本科生提供增强的、尖端的研究机会。该仪器还将改善实验室博士后研究人员的研究机会，并使毕格罗实验室能够帮助当地水产养殖业测量双壳类和大型藻类的元素组成。这项服务既将支持维护仪器的成本，又将促进Main商业产量的增长。该合同将用于购买配备碰撞池的四极感应耦合等离子质谱仪，以通过动能区分减少干扰。像Thermo ICAP QC这样的仪器提供了非常稳定的等离子体，能够分解相关的分析物，如钛-48、铬-52和铁-56。该仪器配备了高效的软件、自动对准的注射器、锥体和透镜组件，并可安装在台式计算机上。该合同还将资助购买ESI SEARE FAST自动化在线样品导入系统，该系统利用树脂螯合柱在分析前从海水基质中预浓缩感兴趣的痕量金属分析物。

The elements of the periodic table provide the building blocks for the earth and the organisms that inhabit it. Determining the elemental composition of organisms, along with other co-occurring environmental materials, provides valuable information for understanding basic molecular and ecological processes, determining controls on biological processes in the environment, and unraveling past environmental conditions on earth. Additionally, the elemental composition of biological and environmental samples is important information for resource managers and commercial producers. This award will fund (along with non-federal matching funds) the acquisition of a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer to be used by researchers at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and faculty and students at nearby undergraduate colleges. The instrumentation will enable elemental measurements that will inform understanding of biogeochemical element cycling in the oceans and estuaries, as well as our knowledge of past environmental conditions and the potential response of marine species to future climate change. The instrumentation will used for both research projects and course-associated instruction for students at Bowdoin College and Colby College. Additionally, the instrumentation will provide enhanced, cutting-edge research opportunities for undergraduate students participating in Bigelow Laboratory?s on-site summer REU program and fall Changing Oceans semester program. The instrumentation will also improve research opportunities for postdoctoral researchers at the Laboratory and will enable Bigelow Laboratory to assist the local aquaculture industry with measurements of elemental composition of bivalves and macroalgae. This service will both support costs of maintaining instrumentation and enable growth of commercial output in Maine.The award will fund purchase of a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer equipped with a collision cell to reduce interferences via kinetic energy discrimination. An instrument such as the Thermo iCap Qc provides an extremely stable plasma and is capable of resolving relevant analytes such as Ti-48, Cr-52 and Fe-56. The instrument is equipped with highly efficient software, self-aligning injector, cone and lens assemblies, and fits on a benchtop. The award will also fund the purchase of an ESI seaFAST automated online sample introduction system that utilizes a resin chelation column to preconcentrate trace metal analytes of interest from seawater matrix prior to analysis.