MRI: Acquisition of Time of Flight-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer to support multi-disciplinary research and training in South Carolina and Nationw

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This award will permit the acquisition of a time of flight-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (TOF-ICP-MS). In general, ICP-MS is widely used to analyze metal isotopes in complex matrices after complete digestion into dissolved form. Although this form of ICP-MS analysis remains commonly used, alternative sampling approaches that produce transient (as short as 500 microseconds) signals are being adapted extensively, such as single particle and single cell ICP-MS analysis. Sequential scanning ICP-MS instrumentations are limited to measuring transient signals of one element only. However, many materials are composed of multi elements. The TOF-ICP-MS allow: 1) full simultaneous detection of the entire mass spectrum of elements from Li to U for every single measurement in less than 50 microseconds; 2) multi-element determinations in fast transient signals such as single particles and single cells; 3) improved precision, particularly for measuring isotope ratios; 4) real-time internal standardization; and 5) untargeted analysis, i.e., identifying analytes in a sample without a priori knowledge of analytes in the sample. The acquisition of the TOF-ICP-MS will fill a crucial gap in elemental analytical facilities at the University of South Carolina by enabling simultaneous, untargeted, multi-element analysis of transient signals. The acquisition of TOF-ICP-MS will enhance on-going fundamental studies and support diverse applications including: 1) characterization of natural nanoparticles (NNPs) to better understand their properties, environmental behaviors/functions, and environmental and human health implications; 2) characterization of engineered (ENPs) to underpin development of new ENPs and assess environmental ENP exposure for potential environmental and human health implications; 3) characterization of incidental nanoparticles (INPs) to understand the fate and behavior of metals in aerosols emitted during combustion and thermal processing of wastes and their impact on air quality; and 4) provide analytical support for the NSF-funded Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth). These projects are at the forefront of their respective fields, yet their continued success hinges on ready access to the proposed instrumentation. The acquisition of the TOF-ICP-MS will enhance and accelerate existing collaborations between the PI and faculty, federal agencies (EPA, NIST and USGS), and NanoEarth, and will allow the researchers to establish new collaborations with other institutions nationally and internationally.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.