Acquisition of a high temperature elemental analyzer for hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis of waters and solids for the University of Cincinnati Stable Isotope Laboratory

为辛辛那提大学稳定同位素实验室采购一台高温元素分析仪，用于水和固体的氢和氧同位素分析

• 批准号: 2110297
• 负责人: Aaron Diefendorf
• 金额: $ 10.85万
• 依托单位: University of Cincinnati Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2023-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2110297&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Acquisition; temperature; elemental; analyzer; hydrogen

This award will expand the analytical capabilities of the University of Cincinnati (UC) UC Stable Isotope Laboratory by adding new instrumentation to measure the stable hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) isotopic compositions of waters and solid organics. In the past few years, the research of the UC Stable Isotope Laboratory has included more focus on the hydrologic cycle and tracking the foraging habits and mobility patterns of animals over time. This work requires measurements of H and O isotopes of waters and tissues containing proteins. Expanded in-house analytical abilities made possible by this award will support and strengthen the established research programs at our laboratory as well as make possible anticipated research directions in the areas of paleoclimatology, conservation biology, paleoecology, and organic geochemistry research. H and O isotopes in water are commonly used to address a wide array of topics in the geosciences, such as characterization of the hydrologic cycle, measuring evaporation and transpiration in plants, as well as evaporation in surface waters and soils, identifying water vapor and precipitation source, and investigating groundwater infiltration and mixing. Past records of the hydrologic cycle can be generated from proxies that indirectly record precipitation and surface water H and O. Combined, these new analytical directions will improve paleo-hydrologic reconstructions and future predictions of hydrologic change. A more complete understanding of the hydrological cycle is critical for safeguarding national health, prosperity, and welfare. Additionally, H and O isotopes in organic animal tissues can be used to track foraging behavior and movement patterns of both living and historic fauna. This information complements that provided by other isotopes like carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), as well as more traditional methods for obtaining geographical information (e.g., banding or satellite-tracking individuals). Surprisingly little is known about individual mobility or population connectivity for many highly mobile and migratory animal species (e.g., birds, butterflies), and even less is known about how stable these patterns are over time. Given the rate and scale of anthropogenic changes to most of our planet’s surface, obtaining such data is increasingly urgent. The UC Stable Isotope Laboratory currently houses two isotope ratio mass spectrometers with the ability to analyze C and N of bulk organics, C and H of specific compounds (e.g., leaf wax n-alkanes), C and O of carbonates, C and H of atmospheric methane, and H and O of water, but with poor precision. However, there are no capabilities to measure H and O of organic solids. This award will add a high temperature elemental analyzer for the analysis of H and O of solids, including organic tissues (e.g., chitin, keratin and cellulose), and provide analysis of H and O of waters with high precision. This new instrumentation will also greatly increase sample throughput and lower labor demands. It will also provide novel hands-on analytical training in three established geology classes that serve undergraduate and graduate students taught by the investigators, as well as additional analytical opportunities to support undergraduate and graduate student research. This instrument acquisition will continue to support the strong record of mentoring students (particularly women) and providing research opportunities to students both at UC and other institutions, including primarily undergraduate institutions. Lastly, the requested instrumentation will play a critical role in expanding undergraduate capstone experiences within the UC Geology Department as part of current efforts to improve program equity and inclusion. This award will support one female PhD student and the proposed work will directly support two undergraduate student research projects to develop and test standards and methods for the new equipment. The PIs will expand their existing public engagement programs on climate change by developing a science outreach program in collaboration with Geology graduate students. The initial target venue will be a local Farmer’s Market that serves a diverse urban community, but it is anticipated that the program will evolve and expand with new cohorts of graduate students.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.

该合同将扩大辛辛那提大学（UC）UC稳定同位素实验室的分析能力，增加新的仪器来测量沃茨和固体有机物的稳定氢（H）和氧（O）同位素组成。在过去的几年里，加州大学稳定同位素实验室的研究包括更多地关注水文循环和跟踪动物的觅食习惯和移动模式。这项工作需要测量含蛋白质的沃茨和组织的氢和氧同位素。通过该奖项扩大的内部分析能力将支持和加强我们实验室的既定研究计划，并使古气候学，保护生物学，古生态学和有机地球化学研究领域的预期研究方向成为可能。水中的氢和氧同位素通常用于解决地球科学中的广泛主题，例如水文循环的表征，测量植物中的蒸发和蒸腾，以及地表沃茨和土壤中的蒸发，识别水蒸气和降水来源，以及调查地下水渗透和混合。水文循环的过去记录可以从间接记录降水量和地表水H和O的代用品中产生。结合起来，这些新的分析方向将改善古水文重建和未来的水文变化预测。更全面地了解水文循环对于维护国家健康、繁荣和福利至关重要。此外，有机动物组织中的氢和氧同位素可用于跟踪生活和历史动物群的觅食行为和运动模式。这些信息补充了其他同位素（如碳（C）和氮（N））以及更传统的获取地理信息的方法（例如，或卫星跟踪个人）。令人惊讶的是，对于许多高度移动的和迁徙的动物物种（例如，鸟类，蝴蝶），甚至更少有人知道这些模式随着时间的推移有多稳定。考虑到人类活动对地球大部分表面造成的变化的速度和规模，获取此类数据变得越来越紧迫。加州大学稳定同位素实验室目前拥有两台同位素比质谱仪，能够分析散装有机物的C和N，特定化合物的C和H（例如，叶蜡正构烷烃）、碳酸盐的C和O、大气甲烷的C和H以及水的H和O，但精度较差。然而，没有能力测量有机固体的H和O。该奖项将增加一个高温元素分析仪，用于分析固体的H和O，包括有机组织（例如，甲壳素、角蛋白和纤维素），并提供高精度的沃茨的H和O分析。这种新仪器还将大大提高样品吞吐量，降低劳动力需求。它还将在三个已建立的地质学课程中提供新颖的实践分析培训，这些课程为研究人员教授的本科生和研究生提供服务，以及额外的分析机会，以支持本科生和研究生的研究。此次仪器收购将继续支持辅导学生（特别是女性）的良好记录，并为UC和其他机构（主要包括本科院校）的学生提供研究机会。最后，所要求的仪器将发挥关键作用，扩大本科顶点的经验在UC地质系作为目前努力提高程序的公平性和包容性的一部分。该奖项将支持一名女博士生，拟议的工作将直接支持两个本科生研究项目，以开发和测试新设备的标准和方法。PI将通过与地质学研究生合作开发科学推广计划，扩大其现有的气候变化公众参与计划。最初的目标地点将是一个当地的农贸市场，为多样化的城市社区提供服务，但预计该计划将随着新的研究生群体的发展和扩大。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。