A flexible carbon analysis platform

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This grant request is to replace and expand our current carbon analysis facility consisting of two old TIC/TOC analyzers from O.I. Analytical. This model has been out of production for 5 years and replacement parts are no longer available or manufactured. One instrument has failed last August and cannot be fixed while the second instrument runs on parts scavenged from even older instruments and supplied by the company. This situation greatly jeopardizes two strong existing research programs that are centred on carbon dynamics (del Giorgio and Prairie) and an emerging program when new Faculty member Derry will begin her position (Dec. 2010). We request two different carbon analysis instruments to expand the capabilities of our facilities. One of the instrument is the state-of-the-art model from O.I. Analyticals. This ensures continuity with existing platform but this instrument is also capable of analyzing the carbon content of solid samples (in particular sediment samples and concentrated biological material (e.g. zooplankton). The second instrument requested is a Siever carbon analyzer (model 5310C) that offers high throughput, unsurpassed stability and precision, and portability (doesn't require carrier gas and uses pre-packaged reagents). However, this instrument cannot do solid samples. The requested platform will meet our carbon analysis needs for at least the coming decade.