Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for ultra-trace element analysis in biological and environmental systems

金属颗粒在各种产品中的广泛使用，如防晒乳液、服装、牙膏、食品包装等，增加了它们在生物系统和环境中的浓度，包括没有水处理厂的农村和土著社区的饮用水。这些颗粒如何影响我们的环境以及人类和动物的健康在很大程度上是未知的。作为第一步，研究人员需要一种准确、灵敏和可靠的方法来测量单个金属颗粒。同样，为了设计针对肿瘤的含金属抗癌药物，测量单个细胞对药物的摄取需要一种非常敏感的技术。用于进行此类测量的传统仪器（如申请人实验室中的仪器）具有足够的灵敏度，但引入系统的大多数颗粒或细胞都未被检测到。这是对形势的不完整描述。即使是最先进的仪器也无法分析所有的颗粒和细胞，因为样品导入系统（这是这种仪器的致命弱点）浪费了90%以上的样品。申请人从事这一领域的研究超过37年，是世界领先的专家。她的小组对样品导入系统进行了大量的基础研究，知道如何补救这种情况。在加拿大没有其他人对这种类型的仪器有更深入的了解和经验。申请人的实验室是世界上唯一一个使用红外加热进样系统来消除样品浪费的实验室。这种新颖的方法，当与一种更新的技术相结合时，有可能确保所有的颗粒或细胞都被测量，并且没有样品被浪费。从本质上讲，环境或生物状况的全貌将得以实现，从中可以做出重要的发现。例如，样品导入系统可以优化颗粒和细胞的分析，这将彻底改变目前在世界各地进行这些测量的方式。改进后的仪器带有样品导入系统的红外加热，也有可能测量金属含量如何影响个体酶活性，这将有助于更好地了解细菌如何降解污染物和生物合成药物样分子。最后，改进后的仪器将通过创造新的铜和镍基抗癌药物，为癌症药物发现领域提供信息。这些药物将大大有利于患者获得更实惠（因此公平）和更安全的药物，而不是目前的铂类药物。申请人和共同申请人致力于在这一快速发展的领域培养研究生，并将确保所有商业化方面都在加拿大公司进行。

The widespread use of metallic particles in a variety of products, such as sunscreen lotions, clothing, toothpaste, food packaging, etc., increases their concentration in biological systems and the environment, including the potable water of rural and indigenous communities without water treatment plants. How these particles affect our environment and influence the health of humans and animals is largely unknown. As a first step, researchers need an accurate, sensitive, and reliable method of measuring individual metallic particles. Similarly, to design metal-containing anti-cancer drugs that target tumors, measurement of drug uptake by individual cells requires a very sensitive technique. Traditional instruments used to take such measurements (such as the one in the applicant's lab) have adequate sensitivity, but most of the particles or cells introduced to the system pass through undetected. This provides an incomplete picture of the situation. Even state-of-the-art instruments cannot analyze all the particles and cells because the sample introduction system (which is the Achilles' heel of this type of instrument) wastes over 90% of the sample. For over 37 years, the applicant has been involved in this field of research and is a leading expert worldwide. Her group has conducted numerous fundamental studies on the sample introduction system and knows how to remedy the situation. No one else in Canada has more in-depth knowledge and experience with this type of instrument. The applicant's laboratory is the only one in the world to use infrared heating of the sample introduction system to eliminate sample waste. This novel approach, when combined with a newer technology, has the potential to ensure that all particles or cells are measured, and no samples are wasted. In essence, a complete picture of the environmental or biological situation would be realized, and from there crucial discoveries can be made. For example, sample introduction systems could be optimized for the analysis of particles and of cells, which will revolutionize how these measurements are currently carried out around the world. The improved instrument with infrared heating of the sample introduction system would also have the potential to measure how metal content influences individual enzymatic activities, which will lead to a better understanding of how bacteria can degrade pollutants and biosynthesize drug--like molecules. Finally, the improved instrument would inform the field of cancer drug discovery via the creation of new copper- and nickel--based anti--cancer medications. These agents would greatly benefit patients' access to more affordable (hence equitable) and safer medication than the current platinum-based medications. The applicant and co-applicants are committed to the training of graduate students in this rapidly growing field and would ensure that all commercialization aspects remain housed at a Canadian company.