Purchase of a tabletop SEM with EDS detector for multidisciplinary research in oceanography

购买带有 EDS 探测器的台式 SEM，用于海洋学的多学科研究

• 批准号: RTI-2022-00530
• 负责人: Rochon, André
• 金额: $ 10.92万
• 依托单位: Université du Québec à Rimouski
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=743079
• 关键词: Purchase; tabletop; SEM; EDS; detector

This proposal is to acquire a new scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) detector to replace the current system that has ceased functioning since February 2020. This new equipment will support several research programs funded by NSERC in biological, chemical and geological oceanography, and HQP training activities at the Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER) and at the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Geography, and Engineering at the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR). The current SEM-EDS was used by more than 12 researchers and collaborators (2894 hrs of use) over the last 13 years and more than 55 highly qualified personnel (HQPs) were trained at using the equipment. In addition, the results obtained on sample analyses have led to over 32 peer-reviewed publications in high-ranked journals. The current equipment ceased functioning due to failure of major electronic components that are no longer manufactured, which substantially delay our research programs. Therefore, we are seeking funds to acquire a new SEM-EDS system to pursue our sample analyses. The requested equipment consists of a SEC SNE4500M PLUS tabletop SEM equipped with a Bruker XFlash 630 EDS detector. This SEM allows observing/measuring biological and mineral specimens, and other materials (e.g. contaminants, microplastics, and functional materials) and mapping their elemental composition. With its stage rotatable at 360° and tiltable at 90°, the instrument permits observing the maximum surface area of the specimens being analyzed. Such equipment is essential to our research work and will be located in the laboratory of particle analysis at UQAR. It will support several multidisciplinary research programs in oceanography, chemistry and engineering, all of which will make ample use of the equipment: Document the evolution of primary production in the North Water Polynya (northern Baffin Bay) over the last 2000 years; Characterizing the distribution and morphology of toxic plankton and monitor the arrival of non-indigenous species in the Canadian Arctic; Characterizing the occurrence and impacts of microplastic in the St. Lawrence Estuary and in Arctic Lakes in Nunavut and Yukon; Develop bio-based composites to trap contaminants in wastewater. The requested instrument is therefore paramount to realize these multidisciplinary research programs, but also for the training of 20 HQPs involved in these programs. The equipment will also be used to train undergraduate and graduate students as part of their course load. Finally, it will help UQAR and Canada to consolidate their support to national (ArcticNet, MEOPAR, Odyssée Saint-Laurent) and international (ArcTrain) research programs in which the SEM-EDS is used.

该建议是购买一台配备能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）检测器的新扫描电子显微镜（SEM），以取代自2020年2月起停止运作的现有系统。这些新设备将支持由NSERC资助的生物，化学和地质海洋学的几个研究项目，以及海洋科学研究所（ISMER）和魁北克大学里穆斯基（UQAR）生物，化学和地理以及工程系的HQP培训活动。在过去的13年中，超过12名研究人员和合作者使用了目前的SEM-EDS（使用2894小时），超过55名高素质人员（HQP）接受了使用该设备的培训。此外，样本分析结果导致在高排名期刊上发表了32篇以上的同行评审论文。目前的设备由于不再生产的主要电子元件故障而停止运行，这大大推迟了我们的研究计划。因此，我们正在寻求资金购买一个新的SEM-EDS系统，以进行我们的样品分析。所要求的设备包括配备Bruker XFlash 630 EDS检测器的SEC SNE 4500 M PLUS台式SEM。该扫描电镜可观察/测量生物和矿物样品以及其他材料（例如污染物、微塑料和功能材料），并绘制其元素组成图。该仪器的载物台可旋转360°和倾斜90°，可观察待分析样品的最大表面积。这些设备对我们的研究工作至关重要，将设在UQAR的颗粒分析实验室。它将支持海洋学、化学和工程学方面的多个多学科研究项目，所有这些项目都将充分利用这些设备：（北方巴芬湾）在过去2000年的情况;描述有毒浮游生物的分布和形态，监测非本地物种进入加拿大北极地区的情况;描述微塑料在圣劳伦斯河口以及努纳武特和育空地区北极湖的发生和影响;开发生物基复合材料以捕获废水中的污染物。因此，所要求的工具是至关重要的，以实现这些多学科的研究方案，但也为培训20 HQP参与这些方案。这些设备还将用于培训本科生和研究生，作为他们课程负担的一部分。最后，它将帮助UQAR和加拿大巩固其对使用SEM-EDS的国家（ArcticNet，MEOPAR，Odyssée Saint-Laurent）和国际（ArcTrain）研究计划的支持。