Upgrade of an Isotope Ratio/Mass Spectrometer for Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis in Organic Biogeochemical Research

该奖项支持升级奥本大学的专业仪器，帮助回答有关自然环境中碳基化合物的来源、转化和循环的研究问题。此次升级将允许现有的同位素比质谱仪(IRMS)对有机分子进行碳和氢化合物特定同位素分析(CSIA)。此次升级将促进奥本大学在地球科学、生物学、生态学和工程学方面的尖端研究。此次升级还将使不同研究领域的跨学科合作成为可能。例如，CSIA可以将同位素签名与工业和石油泄漏中有机化合物的来源和转化联系起来，进而为补救工作提供信息。沉积物和岩石记录中有机分子的CSIA可以帮助重建地球过去的气候，并有助于准确定位区域和全球植被变化，以应对气候变化。此次升级还将在几个方面对奥本和更大的科学界产生更广泛的影响。首先，升级将加强奥本的基础设施，促进奥本与东南部其他机构之间的新联系。此外，仪器升级将支持本科生和研究生的论文工作，为学生提供可转移到劳动力中的技术知识和技能。最后，该奖项支持奥本的一个同位素研讨会，为代表不足的学生提供津贴，让他们使用仪器获取数据并学习分析和实验室技能。具体地说，奥本将获得一台热示踪气相色谱仪(GC)和关键接口设备，以配置CSIA现有的Thermo Delta V Plus IRMS。这些组分结合在一起，将创建一个连续流动的GC-IRMS系统，该系统将通过GC对复杂混合物的色谱分离与稳定的同位素测量相结合。目前，该仪器配备了一台热气台，可同时测量碳酸盐岩样品的碳和氧同位素。升级后，该仪器将能够同时进行碳和氢的CSIA，用于碳氢化合物、氯代烃、脂肪酸甲酯和类似化合物类别的目标分析。化合物特定的同位素签名将提供通过传统技术或批量同位素测量无法获得的详细程度，并允许更广泛的分析目标支持跨学科研究，支持奥本大学的高级论文。该奖项由既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)办公室共同资助。该奖项反映了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。

This award supports the upgrade of specialized instrumentation at Auburn University that can help answer research questions about the sources, transformations, and cycling of carbon-based compounds in the natural environment. The upgrade will allow an existing isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) to perform carbon and hydrogen compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of organic molecules. The upgrade will boost cutting-edge research in geosciences, biology, ecology, and engineering at Auburn. The upgrade will also enable interdisciplinary collaborations across diverse research fields. For example, CSIA can link isotope signatures to sources and transformations of organic compounds in industrial and oil spills, which in turn, informs remediation efforts. CSIA of organic molecules in the sediment and rock record can help reconstruct Earth’s past climate and help pinpoint regional and global changes in vegetation in response to climate change. The upgrade will also have broader impacts on Auburn and the larger scientific community in several ways. First, the upgrade will enhance the infrastructure at Auburn, fostering new connections between Auburn and other institutions in the southeast. In addition, the instrument upgrade will support undergraduate and graduate thesis work, providing students with technical knowledge and skills that are transferrable to the workforce. Finally, the award supports an isotope workshop at Auburn providing stipends for underrepresented students to acquire data using the instrument and learn analytical and laboratory skills.Specifically, Auburn will acquire a Thermo TRACE gas chromatograph (GC) and key interface devices to configure an existing Thermo Delta V Plus IRMS for CSIA. Together, these components will create a continuous flow GC-IRMS system that combines the chromatographic separation of complex mixtures via the GC with stable isotope measurements. Currently, the instrument is configured with a Thermo Gasbench equipped to measure both carbon and oxygen isotopes of carbonate rock samples. After the upgrade, the instrument will be capable of both carbon and hydrogen CSIA for target analyses like hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, fatty acid methyl esters, and similar compound classes. Compound-specific isotope signatures will provide a level of detail not attainable through traditional techniques or bulk isotopic measurements and allow a wider range of analytical targets to support interdisciplinary research supporting senior thesis at Auburn University. This award received co-funding from the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) office.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.