Acquisition of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

有机小分子在生态系统功能中起着重要作用。例如，细菌和植物获取微量营养素（即微量金属）对于氮等主要营养素的循环和生物量的生产至关重要。这种金属的获取通常依赖于小有机分子（金属螯合剂）的释放，这些小有机分子通过与土壤中的天然金属络合物竞争来积极地吸收感兴趣的金属。除了这些对生物圈有益的有机小分子外，其他人造有机小分子，如抗生素和杀虫剂，可能对生态系统功能以及环境和人类健康产生负面影响。这些有机污染物在土壤中的命运和影响仍然知之甚少。** 我们的多学科研究团队由来自化学，生物学和健康科学的研究人员组成。我们开发创新的研究在环境中的小有机分子动力学，包括（i）的作用小有机配体对微量金属管理的植物和细菌，（ii）的流动性和生物利用度的有机污染物（OC）在水和土壤中，（iii）暴露于OC对环境和人类健康的影响和（iv）开发新的废水和污泥处理有效对OC。** 我们的研究依赖于对环境基质中痕量浓度的小有机分子的定量分析。质谱法（四极杆质谱仪）是分析痕量水平此类化合物的金标准。所要求的设备将解决目前限制我们研究的高灵敏度定量质谱法对小有机分子进行有效分析的严重短缺问题。它还将有助于在工作市场（学术界和私营部门）需求很高的分析技术方面对HQP进行培训。我们的研究对加拿大的好处是多方面的;我们关于小有机分子在细菌-植物共生体金属获取中的作用的工作将有助于提高生物质生产，并允许进一步发展植物提取和污染场地的植被重建。我们对业主立案法团的环境命运的研究将提供所需的基础知识，制定可持续的战略，以保护关键的生态系统服务，如供水，土壤质量和植物生产。它还将有助于更好地评估OCs对野生动物和人类的影响，帮助决策者实施适当的立法。**

Small organic molecules play an important role on ecosystems function. For instance, the acquisition of micronutrients (i.e. trace metals) by bacteria and plants is critical to the cycling of major nutrient such as nitrogen and the production of biomass. This acquisition of metals often relies on the release of small organic molecules (metal chelating agents) that actively recruit metals of interest by competing with natural metal-complexes in soil. Besides these small organic molecules that are beneficial to the biosphere, other human made small organic molecules, such as antibiotics and pesticides, can have a negative impact on ecosystems function and environmental and human health. The fate and impact of these organic contaminants in soils remain poorly understood. ******Our multidisciplinary research team is composed of researchers from Chemistry, Biology and health sciences. We develop innovative research on small organic molecule dynamics in the environment, including (i) the role small organic ligands on trace metal management by plant and bacteria, (ii) the mobility and bioavailability of organic contaminants (OCs) in water and soil, (iii) the impact of exposure to OCs on environmental and human health and (iv) the development of new wastewater and sludges treatments efficient toward OCs. ******Our research relies on the quantitative analysis of small organic molecules that are found at trace concentrations in environmental matrices. Mass spectrometry (Quadrupole mass spectrometer) is the gold standard for the analysis of such compounds at trace levels. The requested equipment will address the acute shortage for high sensitivity quantitative mass spectrometry for the efficient analysis of small organic molecules currently limiting our research. It will also contribute to the training of HQP in analytical technics in high demand on the work job market (both academia and private sector).******The benefice of our research to Canada are numerous; Our work on the role of small organic molecules on metal acquisition by bacteria-plant symbioses will contribute to improve biomass production and allow further development in phytoextraction and revegetation of contaminated sites. Our research on the environmental fate of OCs will provide the fundamental knowledge required to develop sustainable strategies to protect critical ecosystem services such as water supply, soil quality and plant production. It will also contribute to better evaluate the impact of OCs on wildlife and humans helping decision makers implementing appropriated legislations. **