Freeze drier for the preparation of trace contaminant samples

汞（Hg）是一种急性神经毒性和内分泌干扰化学物质，在食物网中生物放大，导致高营养级生物的神经和生殖影响。汞污染是一个全球性问题，在可预见的未来，将对汞敏感生态系统中的人类和食物网构成越来越大的健康风险。Nelson O'Driscoll博士于2007年加入Acadia，担任加拿大环境生物地球化学二级研究主席，是环境生物地球化学领域的领导者，特别是在汞物种形成领域。他的团队发表了许多关于生态系统中汞的物种形成及其区域和全球分布的新发现和基本见解。为了测量生物群和其他生态系统成分中痕量的污染物，需要使用冷冻干燥机制备样品。正在请求资金购买冷冻干燥机系统，这是样品制备和储存的国际标准。现有的烘箱在K.C.欧文环境科学中心有大约15年的历史，目前的研究表明，烘箱干燥是不可接受的，因为在食物网和一些非生物样本中发现的微量污染物浓度较低。欧文中心目前的许多研究项目都在研究食物网和沉积物过程中的较低营养水平，因此这些研究无法用现有的设备完成。所要求的冷冻干燥系统（LabConco Free Zone Freeze Dryer with tray Dryer and scroll pump）对于新项目的开展和许多正在进行的研究项目以及本科生和研究生论文的成功完成至关重要。这将是阿卡迪亚大学唯一可用的同类系统。它有许多优点，对奥德里斯科尔博士和欧文中心的其他研究人员进行的微量汞研究特别有用。所要求的系统将提高我们目前检查低热带水平汞生物积累的项目所需的分析的准确性和可重复性。该设备将促进最先进的分析能力，并将支持许多学生的工作和许多来访的国际合作者和学生的相关培训。许多学生（未来5年每年10到10名学生）将受益于该设备，该设备将连接几所国际大学的研究生培训。在这个研究项目中发展的科学直接被纳入预测模型，用于国家和国际层面的政策制定，最终将有助于保护人类和生态系统的健康。

Mercury (Hg) is an acute neurotoxicant and endocrine-disrupting chemical that biomagnifies in food webs, resulting in neurological and reproductive effects in higher trophic level organisms. Mercury pollution is a global problem that will pose increasing health risks to humans and food webs in mercury sensitive ecosystems into the foreseeable future. Dr. Nelson O'Driscoll joined Acadia in 2007 as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environmental Biogeochemistry and is a leader in the field of environmental biogeochemistry, particularly in the area of mercury speciation. His group has published many new findings and fundamental insights into the speciation of mercury in ecosystems and its regional and global distribution. To measure contaminants at trace levels in biota and other ecosystem components, samples need to be prepared using a freeze dryer. Funds are being requested to purchase a freeze dryer system which is the international standard for sample preparation and storage. The existing drying oven in the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Center is >15 years old and there is current research that demonstrates that oven drying is not acceptable for trace concentrations of contaminants found lower in food webs and some abiotic samples. Many current research projects within the Irving Center are examining lower trophic levels in food webs and sediment processes, as such they cannot be completed with the existing equipment. The requested freeze-drying system (LabConco Free Zone Freeze Dryer with tray dryer and scroll pump) is critical to the undertaking of new projects and the successful completion of many ongoing research projects and undergraduate and graduate student theses. It will be the only available system of its kind at Acadia University. It has many advantages that are particularly useful for the type of trace mercury research that is performed by Dr. O'Driscoll and other researchers in the Irving Center. The requested system will allow for increased accuracy and reproducibility of analyses required for our current projects examining low tropic level bioaccumulation of mercury. This equipment will facilitate state-of-the-art analysis capabilities and will support the work of many students and the associated training of many visiting international collaborators and students. Many students (>10 students per year over next 5 years) will benefit from this equipment which will link graduate student training at several international universities. The science developed within this research program is directly incorporated into predictive models that are being used for policy development at national and international levels and will ultimately help to protect human and ecosystem health.