MRI: Acquisition of an LCMS-TOF Mass Spectrometer for Interdisciplinary Research

阿姆斯特朗大西洋州立大学化学系将获得主要研究仪器(MRI)项目授予的这一奖项，该仪器将配备飞行时间质谱仪(LCMS-TOF)系统，以支持阿姆斯特朗大西洋州立大学(AASU)和萨凡纳州立大学(SSU)教职员工及其本科生研究人员的研究活动。收购这台仪器将满足各种研究需求，包括：筛选面包师酵母还原酶文库，调查这些还原酶的系统突变，研究当地湿地的腐殖酸和黄腐酸，含铜蛋白质和与生物分子的络合物的相互作用，检测用于治疗肥胖症的苯并恶嗪酮，分析水生捕食者和猎物警报线索，以及检测葡萄、玫瑰和香蕉的次生代谢产物。质谱学用于鉴定样品的化学成分，并通过质谱仪检测样品中分子成分的质量来确定样品的纯度。层析是一种分离技术，它先于质谱分析。它将混合物分离成几种化学成分，然后由质谱仪进行分析。这些都是被广泛使用的分析技术，用于识别和量化样品的化学成分。对于本科生来说，使用现代仪器进行技术培训是很重要的。除了在研究项目中的应用外，学生们还将在两门高级化学课程中使用这种仪器，并将为生物系的实验室设计练习。其他地区机构的教职员工将可以使用光谱仪。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, the Chemistry Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University will acquire a liquid chromatograph equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LCMS-TOF) system to support the research activities of the faculty and their undergraduate student researchers at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) and Savannah State University (SSU). A variety of research needs will be met by the acquisition of this instrument including: screening of a bakers' yeast reductase library, the investigation of systematic mutations of these reductases, the study of humic and fulvic acids from local wetlands, interactions of copper-containing proteins and complexes with biological molecules, the detection of benzoxazinones used for obesity treatment, the analysis of aquatic predatory and prey alarm cues, and the detection of secondary metabolites from grape, rose and banana.Mass spectrometry (MS) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample and determine its purity by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. Chromatography is an isolation technique that precedes the mass spectrometry analysis. It separates a mixture into its several constituent chemicals which are then analyzed by the mass spectrometer. These are widely used analytical techniques to identify and quantify the chemical composition of a sample. It is important for undergraduate students to be trained in the technique using modern instrumentation. In addition to applications in their research projects, students will use the instrumentation in two upper-level chemistry courses and exercises will be designed for labs in the biology department. Faculty at other area institutions will have access to the spectrometer.