Thin-layer chromatography - flame ionization / flame photometric dual detection system

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We are requesting a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) instrument, which is a sophisticated analytical tool used to measure organic compounds in sample extracts. The particular TLC instrument we are requesting is unique as it has a dual detection system consisting of a flame ionization detector (FID) for carbon compounds and a flame photometric detector (FPD) for compounds containing phosphorus and/or sulphur. There is only one manufacturer of this TLC-FID/FPD instrument in the world and only one supplier in North America. We propose to use this instrument to measure compounds that are critical in marine food webs and aquaculture. We will determine neutral lipid classes including hydrocarbons, triacylglycerols and sterols, and polar lipid classes. This instrument will replace our 13 year old TLC-FID which keeps breaking down. The new model and its configuration will be such as to allow us to also expand into two new, important areas of research: phospholipid classes and sulpholipids. Phospholipid classes are by far the major lipid components of most biological membranes and sulpholipids are major lipid components of algae. There is considerable and growing interest in the importance of dietary lipids in marine ecosystems and aquaculture, as well as in the use of marine lipids as biomarkers. Marine lipids comprise several lipid classes with considerable differences both in structure and function. The differences in structure permit their use as biomarkers. In the biomarker approach, certain signature compounds are used to integrate biological, physical and chemical parameters that define the status of an ecosystem. Using these compounds we can quantify inputs of essential nutrients and of deleterious compounds and we can trace their pathways. The TLC-FID/FPD will support several projects wherein our task is to determine lipid compounds that are either critical to animal growth or that can be used as markers of processes occurring in the marine environment. Measurement of lipids in Newfoundland food webs is timely given the continuing problems with the ground fishery, interest in new fishery species, and the increasing level of aquaculture and oil field development in this area.