A Combustion Ion Chromatograph for Characterization of Nanoparticles and Emerging Halogenated Pollutants

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

A Combustion Ion Chromatography (CIC) system for innovative characterization of emerging pollutants in environmental aqueous and solid samples, and for characterization of coatings of nanomaterials for which have applications in water treatment, environmental remediation, for medical imaging, neuroscience and green chemistry. The requested instrument will also be used to study the changes in the composition of nanomaterials surfaces discharged to the environment after release from various consumer products, to better understand the environmental fate and potential for toxicity of nanomaterials released to the environment. The CIC system oxidizes solid and liquid samples in gaseous products which are then dissolved in an aqueous solution and analysed by ion chromatography. The CIC system, in particular enables detection of halogens and sulfur, which are otherwise very difficult to measure. The system will allow us to characterize halogenated and sulfonated species in nanoparticle coatings that significantly alter their chemical properties relevant to medical imaging, catalysis, water treatment and as well their environmental behaviour. Such characterization is time consuming and challenging without the availability of the instrument, and the CIC will enable determination of important parameters that have been largely missing in the applicants' current work, and cannot be achieved otherwise. The research to be supported is extremely timely and significant, and involves the assessment of environmental and health implications of persistent and toxic polyfluoroalkyl organic chemicals that have been widely detected in humans, wildlife and the environment, as well as introduced into the environment as a constituent of fire-fighting chemicals during the Lac-Mégantic (Quebec) derailment accident. The proposed instrument will substantially enhance the training and quality of research of HQP to sustain the competitiveness of future Canadian workforce in the field of environmental engineering, environmental chemistry, nanotechnology and green chemistry. The instrument requested will be used in nine ongoing collaborative projects of the six applicants, and will enhance the research and innovation capacity of 28 graduate students.