MRI: Acquisition of a GC triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for Environmental and Biogeochemical research

环境评估和生态系统层面的研究需要先进的分析能力。这项收购了一台带有三重四极杆质谱仪的气相色谱仪，将为南得克萨斯州研究生物地球化学循环和环境污染物的科学家提供以前没有的仪器。该仪器能够检测和量化数以千计的化合物，包括人为污染物，然后可以更详细地研究这些化合物，以评估其代谢作用或对生态系统的影响。这些研究领域不仅对迅速发展和工业化的南得克萨斯州地区，而且对整个墨西哥湾北部地区都至关重要。此外，由于该地区的大部分地区经常经历极端天气事件和环境变化，该仪器将在了解我们的生态系统如何适应这种不断变化的现实方面发挥作用。该仪器具有的能力将使德克萨斯农工大学科珀斯-克里斯蒂的教职员工以及我们地区的其他拉美裔服务机构能够进行广泛的研究。该仪器可能开展的一些研究领域包括：评估工业和农业污染物的去向、迁移和对生态系统的影响；测定淡水和海洋沉积物中的细菌代谢物；分析沉积物有机质和生物基质中的氨基酸；确定天然有机物生物标记物；分析大气中溶解的有机氮。这些研究将包括基础和应用研究，旨在检查自然科学过程和人类正在影响我们世界的方式。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Environmental assessment and ecosystem-level research requires advanced analytical capabilities. This acquisition of a gas chromatograph with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer will provide a previously unavailable instrument to South Texas scientists studying biogeochemical cycling and environmental contaminants. This instrument has the ability to detect and quantify thousands of compounds, including anthropogenic contaminants, that can then be studied in greater detail to assess their metabolic role or influence on ecosystems. These areas of research are vital, not only to the rapidly developing and industrialized South Texas region but throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, with much of this region experiencing regular extreme weather events and environmental change, this instrument will play a role in understanding how our ecosystems are adapting to this shifting reality.This instrument has capabilities that will enable a broad range of research for the faculty at Texas A&M University Corpus-Christi, but also other Hispanic Serving Institutions in our region. Some of the potential areas of research enabled by this instrument include: assessing the fate, transport and ecosystem effects of industrial and agricultural contaminants; determination of bacterial metabolites in freshwater and marine sediment; analysis of amino acids in sediment organic matter and biological matrixes; determination of natural organic matter biomarkers; analysis of atmospheric dissolved organic nitrogen. These studies will encompass basic and applied research that seeks to examine natural scientific processes and the ways in which humans are influencing our world.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.