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.

该合同将通过增加新的仪器来测量水和固体有机物的稳定氢(H)和氧(O)同位素组成，从而扩大辛辛那提大学（UC） UC稳定同位素实验室的分析能力。在过去的几年里，UC稳定同位素实验室的研究更多地集中在水文循环和追踪动物的觅食习惯和移动模式上。这项工作需要测量含有蛋白质的水和组织的氢和氧同位素。该奖项扩大了内部分析能力，将支持和加强我们实验室已建立的研究项目，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广泛的主题，例如水文循环的表征，测量植物的蒸发和蒸腾作用，以及地表水和土壤的蒸发，确定水蒸气和降水来源，以及调查地下水的渗透和混合。过去的水文循环记录可以从间接记录降水和地表水H和o的代用物中生成，这些新的分析方向将改善古水文重建和未来水文变化的预测。更全面地了解水文循环对维护国家健康、繁荣和福利至关重要。此外，有机动物组织中的H和O同位素可用于跟踪现存和历史动物的觅食行为和运动模式。这一信息补充了碳(C)和氮(N)等其他同位素提供的信息，以及更传统的获取地理信息的方法（例如，波段探测或卫星跟踪个人）。令人惊讶的是，人们对许多高度流动和迁徙的动物物种（如鸟类、蝴蝶）的个体流动性或种群连通性知之甚少，对这些模式随着时间的推移有多稳定就更不了解了。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，获得这样的数据变得越来越紧迫。UC稳定同位素实验室目前拥有两台同位素比质谱仪，能够分析大量有机物的C和N，特定化合物（如叶蜡正构烷烃）的C和H，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中的氢和氧。该奖项将增加一台高温元素分析仪，用于分析固体中的氢和氧，包括有机组织（例如，几丁质，角蛋白和纤维素），并提供高精度的水的氢和氧分析。这种新仪器也将大大提高样品吞吐量和降低劳动力需求。它还将为本科生和研究生提供新颖的实践分析培训，并为本科生和研究生的研究提供额外的分析机会。此次仪器收购将继续支持UC和其他机构（包括主要是本科机构）的学生指导（特别是女性）和提供研究机会的良好记录。最后，作为目前提高项目公平性和包容性努力的一部分，所要求的仪器将在扩大加州大学地质系本科生顶点体验方面发挥关键作用。该奖项将支持一名女博士生，拟议的工作将直接支持两名本科生的研究项目，以开发和测试新设备的标准和方法。两所学院将通过与地质学研究生合作制定科学推广计划，扩大现有的气候变化公众参与项目。最初的目标地点将是当地的农贸市场，为多元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而发展和扩大。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。