Acquisition of an HPLC-MS Instrument for Research and Training

通过主要研究仪器（MRI）计划的这一奖项，位于小石城的阿肯色州大学化学系将获得一台配备光电二极管阵列紫外可见检测器的高效液相色谱仪，然后是电喷雾电离/大气压化学电离离子阱质谱仪（HPLC-MS）。这一设备将加强若干领域的研究，包括：a）调查植物多酚的化学-生物相互作用; B）调查光合生物适应强光条件对细胞造成氧化损伤的分子机制; c）分析食肉动物粪便的胆汁酸谱，以识别美洲狮; d）来自金黄色葡萄球菌的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶同系物的生物化学活性; e）土壤微生物对杀虫剂和除草剂的生物降解; f）通过质谱法对蛋白质和肽进行测序;以及g）具有增强的抗氧化特性的新型水溶性富勒烯。 高效液相色谱-质谱检测是一种非常强大的技术，用于复杂混合物的分离和分析。这一工具将大大加强位于小石城的阿肯色州大学和菲兰德史密斯学院的科学研究，菲兰德史密斯学院主要是一所本科院校，少数族裔学生人数众多。 这些研究将在许多领域产生坚实的影响，包括环境科学和生物化学。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock will acquire a high performance liquid chromatograph with a photodiode-array UV-visible detector, followed by an electrospray ionization/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization with ion-trap mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS). This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including a) investigation of the chemico-biological interactions of plant polyphenols; b) investigation of the molecular mechanisms by which photosynthetic organisms acclimate to high light conditions that cause oxidative damage to cells; c) analysis of bile acid profiles of carnivore scats for the identification of mountain lion; d) biochemical activity of glutathione peroxidase homologs from Staphylococcus aureus; e) biodegradation of pesticides and herbicides by soil-borne micro-organisms; f) sequencing of proteins and peptides by mass spectrometry; and g) novel water-soluble fullerenes with enhanced anti-oxidative properties . High performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection is an extremely powerful technique used for the separation and analysis of complex mixtures. This instrument will substantially strengthen scientific research at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Philander Smith College, a primarily undergraduate institution with significant minority enrollment. These studies will have a solid impact in a number of areas, including environmental sciences and biochemistry.