Nanoscale NMR - Tackling the Next Frontiers in Environmental Research

基于CMOS的核磁共振传感器技术，这里要求将在环境核磁共振（NMR）中心（多伦多大学）的所有研究计划的核心。这包括专注于土壤结构，土壤修复，气候变化，水生污染物运输，碳循环，可持续农业，大气化学和亚致死毒性的计划。这项研究是与来自加拿大（和国际）各大学的600多名用户/合作PI，众多加拿大公司和政府机构，包括加拿大环境部，加拿大卫生部，安大略环境部，国家水研究所和阿尔伯塔研究理事会合作进行的。所要求的技术使用直接连接到微型检测线圈的有源电子器件，以克服传输线的损耗，并为NMR开辟一个新的微观世界。该技术允许检测皮摩尔（1次扫描）和飞摩尔（过夜），与传统NMR相比，对于质量有限的样品，其灵敏度增加了> ~6个数量级。Annaida Technologies、瑞士联邦理工学院和领先的NMR控制台制造商共同开发的这项技术将代表欧洲以外的第一批商用CMOS NMR传感器，以及世界上第一个专门设计用于环境研究的高分辨率2D异频NMR的双调谐CMOS技术。** 该技术将使NMR中心能够参与更广泛的合作和项目（传统上受传统NMR所需样品量的限制）。可以处理新类型的样品（例如，单个空气颗粒和微小的活水生卵和细胞），而增加的质量灵敏度将首次允许对质量有限的样品进行2D NMR。该方法将提供急需的分子信息，实例包括：1）导致许多呼吸道疾病的细空气颗粒物组分的详细表征; 2）在质谱标准不可用时，确定关键生物累积污染物的精确异构体结构; 3）活的新生儿、卵子和细胞中的实时代谢监测，这对于解释复杂基质（废水、农用化学品径流）对生命是安全的，以及确定负责的压力源和压力机制（毒性作用模式）。总之，所要求的技术将用于解决环境研究中一些最具挑战性的问题，并提供解释该领域目前面临的一些最复杂和最有问题的问题所必需的重要分子信息。该技术将使环境核磁共振中心成为纳米级核磁共振的先驱，并成为全球痕量和质量有限环境分析的中心。**

The CMOS based NMR sensor technology, requested here will be central to all research programs in the Environmental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Centre (University of Toronto). This includes programs focusing on soil structure, soil remediation, climate change, aquatic contaminant transport, carbon cycling, sustainable agriculture, atmospheric chemistry and sub-lethal toxicity. This research is in collaboration with over 600 users/co-PI's from Universities across Canada (and International), numerous Canadian companies, and government agencies including Environment Canada, Health Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, National Water research Institute and the Alberta Research Council. The technology requested uses active electronics directly interfaced to miniaturized detection coils to overcome losses in transmission lines and open up a new microscopic world to NMR. The technology permits detection of picomoles (1 scan) and femtomoles (overnight) which represents > ~6 order of magnitude sensitivity increase for mass limited samples when compared to traditional NMR. The technology developed between Annaida Technologies, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and leading NMR console manufacturers, will represent the first commercial CMOS NMR sensors outside Europe and the world's first dual tuned CMOS technology specifically engineered to permit high resolution 2D heteronuclear NMR essential for environmental research. ******The technology will allow the NMR Centre to enter into a much wider array of collaborations and projects (traditionally limited by the amount of sample required for conventional NMR). New types of samples (for example, individual air particles and tiny living aquatic eggs and cells) can be addressed, while the increased mass sensitivity will permit 2D NMR on mass limited samples for the first time. The approach will provide critically needed molecular information, examples include; 1) detailed characterization of fine air particulate fractions that are responsible for many respiratory diseases; 2) exact isomeric structure determination of key bio-accumulative contaminants when mass spectrometry standards are not available; 3) real-time metabolic monitoring in living neonates, eggs and cells, critical to explain if complex matrices (waste water, agrochemical runoff) are safe for life, as-well as identify the stressors responsible and the mechanisms of stress (toxic-mode-of-action). In summary the technology requested will be used to address some of the most challenging questions in environmental research and provide vital molecular information essential to explain some of the most complex and problematic issues currently faced in the field. The technology will allow the Environmental NMR Centre to pioneer nanoscale NMR and become the Centre for trace and mass-limited environmental analysis globally. **