GC/MS upgrade and microbalance for molecular-level organic matter analysis

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

New compounds are emerging in the environment daily. As well, scientists have not yet identified many of the natural compounds that exist in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Therefore, our understanding of the dynamics of molecules in the environment is limited. This is partially due to the lack of available analytical approaches. However, modern technology exists that will enable the collection and isolation of these unidentified compounds and can be used to study molecular-level processes in soil. The proposed equipment will allow researchers at the University of Toronto to use molecular approaches to study: molecular changes in soil organic matter with global warming, contaminant interactions and transformation in soil, and the excotoxicity of earthworms in contaminated soils. The requested equipment will be used to purchase an upgrade to an existing gas chromatograph system so that the isolation, identification and quantification of environmental compounds can be performed more efficiently. Once these compounds are isolated, they will be identified using existing technology (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry). A microbalance is also requested to enable the accurate measurement of isolated compounds for quantification and related analyses (such as radiocarbon analysis). Thus, the requested equipment which will aid in the isolation, identification and quantification of new compounds from complex mixtures, will facilitate the discovery of new compounds in soils and sediments. Unless researchers can identify these "unknowns", our fundamental understanding of environmental processes will be limited. Therefore, this equipment will allow researchers at the University of Toronto to make timely progress in molecular environmental science research and push the boundaries of our current understanding of contaminants and biogeochemical processes.