The Unique Bioinorganic Chemistry of the Formation of Hydroxyaluminosilicates: A Case to Support a New Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer

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Research in the Bioinorganic Chemistry Laboratory at Keele University is focussed upon the biological reactivity, availability and essentiality of the second and third most common elements of the Earth's crust, silicon and aluminium. In particular we have shown that aluminium binds silicon in forming hydroxyaluminosilicates and in doing so protects against the known toxicity of aluminium. It is essential to the continuing success of all of the research that we can measure low concentrations of aluminium accurately and reproducibly and we achieve this using instrumentation called a Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (GFAAS). Unfortunately our present machine which was bought in 1992 is no longer serviceable and we urgently require to replace it so that all of our research can continue without delay. In this application we have highlighted the ongoing research in our laboratory which uses GFAAS as well as prospective research and our committments to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students with the view to demonstrating our need for a new GFAAS. Funds to support the buying of a new GFAAS are the subject of this application.