Applied-RadioIsotope & Environmental Laboratory (ARIEL)

该项目的主要目标是为联合王国提供一个独特的、世界一流的环境科学放射性同位素研究和培训基础设施。放射性标记的一般技术涉及用放射性原子标记分子，以跟踪该分子在特定细胞、特定组织、整个生物体或甚至生态系统中的命运（例如使用中生态系统）。目前在医学科学中使用放射性示踪剂技术降低了超灵敏分析设备的价格，并使它们能够用于其他知识领域，如地球化学、生态毒理学、环境工程以及粮食安全。重要的是要注意，放射性标记方法总是使用非常低剂量的辐射，因此标记的分子不会对研究中的生物体或实验者构成任何威胁。尽管如此，Envision设施的设计使放射性同位素永远不会释放到环境中。该项目包括建立一个应用放射性同位素和环境实验室（ARIEL），用于安全处理放射性同位素，并将其用作各种类型样品的放射性标记，如沉积物，土壤，水和生物体，在环境现实的实验环境中暴露于非常低的辐射水平。该实验室将包括：（一）一个生物体受放射性示踪剂照射的实验台;（二）一个合成标记分子、样品制备的工作空间以及色谱分离和冷冻切片的空间;（iii）设有各种放射性同位素探测器的黑暗分析室（α，β和γ辐射）进行定量整体-我们建议扩大和翻新萨里大学化学系的放射化学实验室，实验室面积不超过30平方米。目前，我们的放射性示踪剂工作组只有一个非常小的实验室（约。12 m2），我们无法容纳NX 70冷冻切片机（最近由CAMS # 600310/10奖学金资助-跟踪授予本PI的生物组织中的纳米塑料）和我们已经拥有的其他设备（即专用手套箱、体内伽马计数器、液体闪烁计数器）。该空间无法容纳本文所建议的放射性示踪剂实验室长期发展所需的设备。为了完成实验室，我们建议购买新设备，包括氧化剂，液体伽马计数器，超低水平液体闪烁计数器和带铅屏蔽盒的磷光体成像仪。ARIEL将提供一个独特的机会，通过学士学位在全球范围内培养高素质的人才，萨里大学放射化学硕士和博士课程。该实验室将开展的研究将是获得关于水生物种和生态系统在面临环境压力因素（例如有毒投入和环境变化）时的行为的新知识的关键。因此，拟议的项目符合大学的可持续发展战略研究主题。该实验室的首要任务是提供塑料颗粒和环境基质中其他危险新兴污染物的命运的全面表征。该实验室将为下一代生态毒理学和环境研究提供最先进的设施。

The primary objective of the project is to provide the United Kingdom with a unique, world-class research & training radioisotope infrastructure for environmental science. The general technique of radiolabelling involves labelling a molecule with radioactive atoms to follow the fate of that molecule within a specific cell, a particular tissue, an entire organism, or even an ecosystem (e.g. using mesocosms). Current use of radiotracer techniques in medicinal sciences has reduced the price of ultra-sensitive analytical equipment and made them accessible to other areas of knowledge such as biogeochemistry, ecotoxicology, environmental engineering as well as food security. It is important to note that radiolabelling approaches always uses very low doses of radiation so that the labelled molecules never pose any threat to the organisms under investigation or to the experimenter. Nevertheless, the envision facility is designed so that radioisotopes are never released into the environment.The project consists of setting up an Applied Radioisotope & Environmental Laboratory (ARIEL) for the safe handling of radioisotopes and their use as radiolabels in various type of samples such as sediments, soils, water, and organisms exposed to very low levels of radiations in environmentally realistic experimental settings. The laboratory will include (i) an experimental bench for organism exposures to radiotracers; (ii) a working space for syntheses of labelled molecules, sample preparations as well as space for chromatographic separation and cryo-microtomy; (iii) a dark analytical room with various radioisotope detectors (alpha, beta and gamma radiation) to perform the Quantitative Whole-body Autoradiography.We are proposing the expansion and refurbishing of the radiochemistry laboratory in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Surrey on a modest surface of no more than 30 m2. Currently, our radiotracer working group has only the exclusive use of a very small laboratory (ca. 12 m2) where we cannot house the NX 70 cryomicrotome (recently funded by CAMS # 600310/10 fellowship - Tracking Nanoplastic in Biological Tissue awarded to the present PI) and other equipment already in our possession (i.e. dedicated Glove box, in vivo gamma counter, liquid scintillation counter). This space could not house the necessary equipment for the long-term development of the radiotracer laboratory herein proposed.To complete the laboratory, we are proposing to acquire new equipment including an oxidizer, a liquid gamma counter, a super low-level liquid scintillation counter and a phosphor imager with lead shielding boxes.ARIEL will offer a unique opportunity world-wide to train highly qualified personnel via the Bachelor, master and doctoral programs in radiochemistry at the University of Surrey. The research that will be generated by the laboratory will be key in terms of acquiring new knowledge on the behaviour of aquatic species and ecosystems in the face of environmental stressors (e.g. toxic inputs and environmental change). As such, the project proposed aligns with the university strategic research theme of sustainability. The priority of the laboratory is to provide a full characterisation of the fate of plastic particles and other hazardous emerging contaminants in environmental matrices. The laboratory will provide a state-of-the-art facility for the next generation of ecotoxicology and environmental studies.