Acquisition of Helium Recovery Equipment: Orbitrap Fourier Transform Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for Environmental and Climate Research.

该项目的具体目标是在华盛顿大学(UW)获得一台Orbitrap同位素比质谱仪(IRMS)，该仪器拥有一个专门从事稳定同位素比测量的多用户实验室设施。大学实验室目前有五个气源IRMS，它们测量各种化学物种转化为低分子气体后的氢、氧、碳、硫和氮同位素比率。目前稳定同位素测量的应用非常多样化，包括从冰芯和沉积物岩心恢复温度，从冰芯恢复古大气氧化剂丰度，濒危虎鲸食物网重建，非法贩运穿山甲鳞片的来源，以及阐明生命和大气中氧气的共同进化。然而，Orbitrap质谱仪的新发展使该仪器具有足够的灵敏度，可以测量完整分子的同位素比，而不需要在进行同位素测量之前将它们转换为低分子气体。研究人员将使用Orbitrap IRMS来测试几个具体的科学假设，这些主题包括古大气化学、太古代中期氧和生命的共同演化，以及代谢物中碳-碳键形成过程的具体机制。这三个项目都不能用传统的气源同位素比质谱仪实现，因为它们的质量分辨率有限，而且需要将物种转化为低分子气体。鉴于Orbitrap IRMS是一项新兴技术，其实用性和科学应用的扩展计划超出最初的研究项目，Orbitrap IRMS可能会改变从不同领域的同位素比率测量中获得的潜在知识，并使研究人员能够回答更复杂的科学问题。潜在的更广泛的影响主要集中在新仪器在六个系和三个学院的广泛科学事业中的科学应用上。即便如此，几名本科生和研究生将接受Orbitrap IRMS尖端技术的培训，从而增加他们的职业机会。此外，这一工具将加强华盛顿大学积极参与促进教育和研究机会的项目(UW Advance Program，太平洋西北路易斯中风少数群体参与联盟)，以及它与西雅图学校和全州农村和部落社区的K-12学生和教职员工的联系。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。

The specific aim of this project is to acquire an Orbitrap Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS) at the University of Washington (UW) which houses a multi-user laboratory facility specializing in stable isotope ratio measurements. The university laboratory currently contains five gas-source IRMSs that measure hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen isotope ratios from a variety of chemical species after conversion of those species to a low molecular weight gas. Current applications of stable isotope measurements are highly varied and include temperature reconstruction from ice cores and sediment cores, proxies for paleo atmospheric oxidant abundance from ice cores, endangered orca food web reconstruction, provenance of illicitly trafficked pangolin scales, and elucidating the co-evolution of life and oxygen in the atmosphere. New developments in Orbitrap mass spectrometry, however, have made this instrument sensitive enough for isotope ratio measurements of intact molecules with no need to convert them to a low molecular weight gas before isotopic measurement.The researchers will use the Orbitrap IRMS to test several specific scientific hypotheses on the topics of paleo atmospheric chemistry, co-evolution of oxygen and life in the mid-Archean, and the specific mechanism of carbon-carbon bond forming processes within metabolites. All three of these projects cannot be achieved with traditional gas-source isotope ratio mass spectrometers due to their mass resolving limitations and the need to convert species to a low molecular weight gas. Given that Orbitrap IRMS is an emerging technology, expansion of its utility and scientific application is planned beyond the initial research projects for which Orbitrap IRMS may transform what can be potentially learned from isotope ratio measurements in a variety of fields and enable researchers to answer more complicated scientific questions.The potential Broader Impacts are mainly focused on the scientific applications of the new instrumentation across a wide array of scientific undertakings across six departments and three colleges. Even so, several undergraduate and graduate students will be trained in cutting edge Orbitrap IRMS technology thereby enhancing their professional opportunities. Furthermore, this instrumentation will enhance the University of Washington’s active participation in programs promoting opportunities in education and research (UW ADVANCE Program, the Pacific Northwest Louis Strokes Alliance for Minority Participation) and its connection with K-12 students and faculty in Seattle schools and rural and tribal communities across the state.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.