MRI-R2: Acquisition of an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP/MS)

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(Public Law 111-5)资助的。在重大研究和仪器(MRI)计划的这一奖项下，Diana Aga教授、Tracy Bank、Eliza S.Calder、Alan J.Rabideau和David F.Watson将获得用于环境科学和工程研究的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP/MS)。将开展的项目包括：1.工程纳米材料的环境影响，2.)3.重金属污染物的生物地球化学与修复用于岩石学研究的火山岩的地球化学分析，4。锶的迁移和模拟以及镉的植物修复，以及，5.)半导体纳米材料的表征。质谱学(MS)是通过测量样品中分子组成的质量来鉴定样品的化学成分，样品被电离后由质谱仪检测。电感耦合等离子体/质谱仪将能够在十亿分之几(Ppb)的水平上分析金属形态，这对于准确评估生物修复的有效性和金属污染的风险至关重要。它不仅对环境样品有用，而且对纳米材料的研究也是一种非常有价值的表征工具。电感耦合等离子体/质谱仪前的激光烧蚀系统可用于固体岩石和半导体材料的直接分析。这将促进和改变目前学生以及地质和化学领域的研究活动。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award from the Major Research and Instrumentation (MRI) program, Professor Diana Aga, Tracy Bank, Eliza S. Calder, Alan J. Rabideau and David F. Watson will acquire an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP/MS) to be used for environmental science and engineering research. Projects that will be undertaken include: 1.) environmental impacts of engineered nanomaterials, 2.) biogeochemistry and remediation of heavy metal pollutants, 3.) geochemical analysis of volcanic rocks for petrological research, 4.) transport and modeling of strontium and phytoremediation of cadmium, and, 5.) characterization of semiconductor nanomaterials. Mass spectrometry (MS) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. The ICP/MS will allow analysis of metal speciation at sub-parts per billion (ppb) levels, which is crucial in accurately assessing the effectiveness of bioremediation and the risks of metal contamination. It will not only be useful for environmental samples, but will also be a highly valuable characterization tool for nanomaterials research. The laser ablation system in front of the ICP/MS can be used for direct analysis of solid rocks and semiconductor materials. This will advance and transform the current research activities of students and in Geology and Chemistry.