EA: Acquisition of analytical equipment for environmental biogeochemistry and mineralogy

这笔拨款将用于购置仪器，以支持拉萨尔大学环境生物地球化学和矿物学的本科生研究和教育的增长，并促进费城地区本科生研究的合作。Rigaku MiniFlex 6G x射线衍射仪和IXRF铱超能量色散x射线光谱系统将使矿物学和化学分析能够了解水、矿物和生物群之间的金属循环。这些信息有助于为旨在处理环境污染物的技术提供信息。此次设备收购将通过提供对生物地球化学循环过程的见解，从而改善环境污染物的处理和修复，从而有利于科学发现和社会。通过在课程作业和研究项目中提供使用该设备的机会和培训，提高学生的参与度，将加强环境科学、生物和化学等学科的本科教育。该奖项购买的仪器将用于研究(1)空气中的真菌如何产生含钙矿物(2)在费城土壤中稳定有毒铅的方法，以及(3)重晶石的矿物共沉淀如何从石油和天然气生产废水中去除有毒的砷和铬。特别是，x射线衍射将用于鉴定实验室培养真菌产生的矿物质，费城污染地点周围收集的土壤中的矿物质，以及与模拟水力压裂废水中的污染物共沉淀的矿物质。能量色散x射线光谱学将用于绘制金属与真菌生物量结合到生物沉淀矿物中的情况，铅在土壤矿物质和受污染土壤中生长的植物中的位置，以及绘制模拟废水处理产生的重晶石矿物颗粒中砷和铬的分布情况。合作也将在费城地区发展，重点是负担得起的，本科生获得研究仪器。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。

This grant will fund the acquisition of instrumentation to support the growth of undergraduate research and education in Environmental Biogeochemistry and Mineralogy at La Salle University as well as promote collaboration for undergraduate research in the Philadelphia region. A Rigaku MiniFlex 6G X-ray diffractometer and an IXRF Iridium Ultra Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy System will enable mineralogical and chemical analysis to understand the cycling of metals between water, minerals, and biota. This information can help inform technologies aimed at treating environmental contaminants. This equipment acquisition will benefit science discovery and society by providing insights into biogeochemical cycling processes which in turn can improve treatment and remediation of environmental contaminants. Increase of student engagement by providing access and training to this equipment in course work and research projects will enhance undergraduate education across Environmental Science, Biology and Chemistry.The instrumentation purchased with this award will be used to examine (1) how airborne fungi produce calcium-containing minerals (2) ways for toxic lead to be stabilized in Philadelphia soils, and (3) how mineral co-precipitation of barite can remove toxic arsenic and chromium from wastewaters produced from oil and gas operations. In particular, X-ray diffraction will be used to identify minerals produced by fungi in laboratory cultures, minerals in soils collected around contaminated sites in Philadelphia, and minerals co-precipitated with contaminants from simulated fracking wastewaters. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy will be used to map the incorporation of metals into bio-precipitated minerals with fungal biomass, the location of lead in soil minerals and plants grown in contaminated soils, and to map the distribution of arsenic and chromium in barite mineral particles produced from simulated wastewater treatments. Collaborations will also be developed across the Philadelphia region with a focus on affordable, undergraduate access to instrumentation for research.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.