Acquisition of a DGC Maceral Separation Laboratory: The Key to Maceral-specific Isotopic and Geochemical Analysis

0450898 Rimmer该拨款为在肯塔基州大学地质科学系建立密度梯度离心（DGC）设施提供支持。 该设施将使研究人员Susan Rimmer，Ana Carmo，Harold Rowe和他们的学生能够从煤和干酪根中分离出相对纯（95%）的有机成分，用于随后的地球化学和同位素分析。与光学岩相学相结合，DGC技术允许确定构成单个煤和干酪根显微组分的海洋和陆地有机质的相对比例，并且当与质谱法相结合时，可以评估显微组分特定的稳定同位素比率。 DGC设施将支持对泥盆纪-密西西比纪黑色页岩的调查，并将允许进行显微组分特定同位素测定，以更好地评估有机物质来源和保存程度。 将购买的具体设备包括一台转速为20 000转/分的离心机和多个转子，这些转子的设计可使离心分离达到特定的临界密度。 其他设备将包括一台用于精细研磨脱矿有机材料和各种玻璃器皿用品和试剂的微粉机。 DGC设施将为PI培训传统上代表性不足的群体的学生的努力提供服务，并将作为全国各地对煤岩石学和石油地球化学感兴趣的有机地球化学家的多用户设施。***

0450898RimmerThis grant provides support for the establishment of a density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) facility at the University of Kentucky, Department of Geological Sciences. The facility would enable investigators Susan Rimmer, Ana Carmo, Harold Rowe and their students to separate relatively pure (95%) organic constituents from coals and kerogens for subsequent geochemical and isotopic analysis. In combination with optical petrography, the DGC technique allows for determination of the relative proportions of marine and terrestrial organic matter that make up individual coal and kerogen macerals and, when coupled with mass spectrometry, evaluation of maceral-specific stable isotopic ratios. The DGC facility will support investigations of Devonian-Mississippian black shales and will allow for maceral specific isotopic determinations in order to better evaluate organic matter sources and degree of preservation. Specific equipment that will be purchased includes a centrifuge capable of 20,000 RPM and multiple rotors designed to allow centrifugation at specific cut-point densities. Additional equipment will include a micronizer for fine grinding of demineralized organic materials and various glassware supplies and reagents. The DGC facility will serve the PI's efforts to train students from traditionally underrepresented groups and will be available as multi-user facility for organic geochemists across the country interested in coal petrology and petroleum geochemistry. ***