Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer for Analysis of Microbial Biogeochemistry in Environmental Samples

高效源气相色谱-质谱联用仪（GC-MS）是环境科学研究的重要手段。在环境地球化学领域，利用该仪器进行的研究将阐明有机污染物的来源、迁移和降解。这项研究产生的新见解将有助于保护加拿大和世界各地的水和空气质量，从而保护人类和生态系统的健康。在有机地球化学/天体生物学领域，将支持的研究重点是有关生命，特别是微生物生命的能力和局限性的基本问题，以及这种生命留下的生物特征。这项研究的新成果为地球上微生物生命的功能提供了更深入的了解，地质记录中存在的微生物生命的生物特征，并定义了可用作寻找地球以外生命的基础的生物特征。所要求的GC MS是一种高度通用的仪器，可以识别和定量各种有机化合物。所要求的系统是为尽可能高的灵敏度而设计的，从而能够以最大的空间或时间分辨率进行环境研究。当研究发生在毫米或更小尺度上的微生物过程时，以及当研究微生物丰度和相关生物特征可能以非常低的丰度存在时，这种分辨率是研究微生物生命极限的关键因素。尽管这些小的空间尺度和潜在的低丰度的生物标志物在现代和地质环境中，微生物过程介导几乎每一个循环的营养物质，污染物和能量在地球上。因此，了解它们对于了解地球上的生命和我们对它的影响以及寻找地球以外生命的证据至关重要。除了促进研究外，GC MS还是环境研究和分析中广泛使用的工具。所要求的仪器将能够培训下一代环境科学家在分子水平上分析有机化合物所需的技能，以及如何为这些类型的分析开发新方法，以便他们准备在未来发现新的感兴趣的化合物时作出反应。

A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC MS) with high efficiency source (HES) is requested to support novel research in environmental science. In the field of environmental geochemistry, research undertaken with this instrument will elucidate the sources, transport and degradation of organic contaminants. The new insights generated during this research will contribute to the protection of water and air quality in Canada and around the world and therefore to the protection of human and ecosystem health. Within the fields of organic geochemistry/astrobiology the research that will be supported focuses on fundamental questions concerning the capabilities and limits of life, particularly microbial life, and the biosignatures that such life leaves behind. The novel outcomes of this research provide greater insight into the functioning of microbial life on Earth, the biosignatures of microbial life present in the geologic record, and define the biosignatures that may be used as a basis for searching for life beyond the Earth. The GC MS requested is a highly versatile instrument that can identify and quantify a wide range of organic compounds. The requested system is designed for the highest possible sensitivity which enables environmental research with the greatest spatial or temporal resolution. Such resolution is a key factor when studying microbial processes that occur over scales of millimeters or less and for studying microbial life at its limits where microbial abundances and associated biosignatures may be present at very low abundances. Despite these small spatial scales and potentially low abundances of biomarkers in modern and geologic settings, microbial processes mediate nearly every cycle of nutrients, contaminants and energy on Earth. Understanding them is therefore critical to understanding life on Earth and our impact on it, and to searching for evidence of life beyond the Earth. In addition to facilitating research, the GC MS is a widely used tool in environmental research and analysis. The requested instrument will enable training of the next generation of environmental scientists in the skills required to analyze organic compounds at the molecular level, and how to develop new methods for these types of analyses such that they are prepared to respond when new compounds of interest are discovered in the future.