Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer for Exploring the Oil Fate Associated with Environmental Persistent Free Radicals on Shorelines

漏油是严重的环境问题，海洋中一定数量的溢油最终会到达海岸线。搁浅在海岸线上的石油可能会对沿海生物群和社区造成极其不利的影响。海岸线溢油的物理化学性质通过物理、化学和生物风化作用发生变化。为了最大限度地减少海岸线油污的风险并制定有效的应对方法，有必要了解海岸线上油类的运输和去向。搁浅在海岸线上的石油的命运是复杂的，取决于多种因素。油可以发生化学变化，也可以形成新的衍生品。在这个过程中，环境中的持久性自由基(EPFR)在污染物的迁移转化中起着至关重要的作用。为了更好地了解搁浅在海岸线上的石油的命运，需要探索来自石油的EPFR的形成以及石油与环境中存在的细颗粒之间的相互作用。 所要求的电子顺磁共振(EPR)光谱仪将用于探索与海岸线EPFR有关的石油命运。为此，需要开展以下工作：(I)确定被油污的海岸线中EPFR的类型和浓度；(Ii)确定受EPFR影响的油类迁移和转化途径；(Iii)确定油类与细颗粒之间的相互作用；以及(Iv)制定最佳应对和清理做法，以确保海岸线上的油类风险降至最低。EPR可用于开发一套分析方法，用于表征海岸线上的石油去向，并通过适当的清理技术来降低风险，并将开发的方法推广到国内和国际上的多种海岸线类型。然后，开发的技术将应用于加拿大范围内的漏油反应。 与康科迪亚大学现有分析设备相关的拟议基础设施将在加拿大形成一个独特的环境研究设施。这项投资将支持新的和标准的研发工具的复杂组合，以促进跨多个学科的创新漏油研究和合作，并将知识转移到与环境相关的各个部门的最终用户。一支强大的研究团队将进行相关研究，这些团队具有互补的专业知识和公认的国际声誉。自由基的检测处于环境工程的前沿。申请的EPR将为学生提供有关环境激进分子特征的最新知识，并提供一些按需技能的培训。HQP将接受仪器操作、实验设计和结果分析方面的培训。所获得的技能对于解决实际的溢油反应问题至关重要。

Oil spills are serious environmental problems and a certain amount of spilled oil in ocean will eventually reach the shoreline. The stranded oil on shoreline may cause extremely detrimental effects on coastal biota and communities. The physicochemical properties of spilled oil on shoreline change through physical, chemical and biological weathering processes. To minimize the risk of shoreline oiling and develop effective response methods, it is necessary to understand the transport and fate of oil on shoreline. The fate of stranded oil on shoreline is complex and depends on a variety of factors. The chemical change of oil can occur and new derivatives can also be formed. In this process, the environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) play a crucial role in the migration and transformation of pollutants. To better understand the fate of stranded oil on shoreline, it is required to explore the formation of EPFRs derived from oil and the interactions between oil and fine particles present in the environment. The requested electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer will be used to explore the oil fate associated with EPFRs on shorelines. This entails the works to (i) characterize the types and concentrations of EPFRs in the oiled shoreline, (ii) identify the oil migration and transformation pathways impacted by EPFRs, (iii) determine the interactions among oil and fine particles, and (iv) develop best response and cleanup practices for ensuring the minimum risk of oil on shorelines. The EPR can be used to develop a set of analytical methods for characterizing the fate of oil on shoreline as well as mitigating the risks through appropriate cleanup techniques, and extend the developed methods to multiple shoreline types nationally and internationally. The developed techniques will then be applied to oil spill response within a Canadian context. The proposed infrastructure associated with the existing analytical equipment in the Concordia University will form a unique environmental research facility in Canada. This investment will support a complex mixture of novel and standard R&D tools to foster innovative oil spill research and collaborations across multiple disciplines, and transfer knowledge to end users in various environment-related sectors. A strong research team with complementary expertise and established international reputations will conduct the related research. The detection of free radicals is at the forefront of environmental engineering. The requested EPR will provide students with state-of-the-art knowledge in the characterization of environmental radicals and training in a number of in-demand skills. The HQPs will be trained in instruments operations, experimental design, and result analysis. The obtained skills are critical for tackling practical spill response problems.