Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer to Support Marine Science: Analysis of Essential Fatty Acids and Valuable Bioproducts

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Funding is requested for a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GCMS) that is essential to the research programs of the three applicants and their teams. A key aspect of this instrument is its chemical ionization option, a rare feature that enables structure determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The instrument also incorporates an autosampler and a high-performance oven to ensure rapid processing of samples and high throughput. The primary application of this GCMS will be in the characterization and quantification of naturally-occurring compounds in the marine environment, with a specific focus on polyunsaturated fatty acids. Research enabled by the requested equipment will increase our fundamental understanding of the trophic transfer of essential fatty acids in marine systems, the role of marine mammals in fish population dynamics in Canada and sustainable approaches to bioprocessing. Thus, the GCMS system requested here will enable significant advancements to be made in the diverse research programs of the three applicants.