FSML Request for a Gas Chromatographic Interface for Compound-Specific Isotopic Analyses at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute

该合同提供资金用于购买气相色谱接口和相关设备。该接口将扩展现有同位素比质谱仪的能力，以进行特定化合物的稳定同位素分析。该仪器将增加接近最先进水平的分析能力，在海洋科学研究所最具优势的科学领域极为有用。PI和他的同事将开发专门针对墨西哥湾地区面临的关键问题的新测量技术。与现有设备所允许的大量同位素分析相比，使用这种新设备可以以更高的特异性和更好的控制来完成这些类型的实验，化合物特异性分析的使用已经开始给生态学、环境科学和海洋学领域带来革命性的变化，因为它允许对生物化学品的吸收和转移到海洋食物网的具体测量，阐明降解途径，环境污染物的来源鉴定。 气相色谱接口所需的样品非常少，使其成为分析渔业和其他生态研究中限制性或痕量生物化学品的理想选择。 这一设备的增加将建立一个中央光同位素分析设施，为整个德克萨斯州中南部地区的科学家提供新的和令人兴奋的能力。

This award provides funds for the purchase of a gas chromatography interface and related equipment. The interface will extend the capabilities of an existing isotope ratio mass spectrometer to allow compound-specific, stable isotopic analyses to be performed. The instrument will add near state of-the-art analytical capabilities extremely useful in the scientific fields in which the Marine Science Institute has its greatest strengths. The PI and his colleagues will develop new measurement techniques specifically tailored to critical problems facing the Gulf of Mexico region. These types of experiments can be accomplished with much greater specificity and control with this new equipment than with the bulk isotopic analyses that existing equipment allows.The use of compound-specific analyses has begun to revolutionize the fields of ecology, environmental science and oceanography by allowing specific measurement of the uptake and transfer of biochemicals into marine food webs, elucidation of degradation pathways, and source identification of environmental pollutants. The extremely small samples needed for the gas chromatography interface make it ideal for analysis of limiting or trace biochemicals in fisheries and other ecological studies. The addition of this equipment will create a central light isotope analysis facility that will make available new and exciting capabilities for scientists throughout the south-central Texas region.