Collaborative Research: Development of a next generation sensor for measuring biologically available iron in seawater

越来越多的证据表明，铁不仅在调节世界海洋大片地区的大量浮游植物生产方面很重要，而且还深刻地影响浮游植物组合中藻类的种类形成。从对全球碳循环的影响到可能刺激有害藻华的双重影响所产生的广泛影响。目前迫切需要超灵敏的实时监测和检测技术，以捕获真核浮游植物可获得的海水中的活性铁池。π吗?申请资助生物校准？活性铁分数以获得海洋真核浮游植物铁可用性的量度。π吗?s将结合时间分辨荧光（TRF）和荧光共振能量转移（FRET）来开发一种超灵敏的光活性纳米器件，该器件使用铁载体去铁胺B （DFB）作为铁选择性传感器接口，镧系荧光来报告铁在该受体中的存在。该传感器将使用一系列近岸和近海的蓝藻、硅藻和鞭毛藻，以及球石藻赫克斯利菌进行校准；浮游植物在调节海洋表层向深海的碳输出中起重要作用。该项目的最终目标是开发一种光活性纳米传感器，可以实时测量浮游植物的生长速度。更广泛的影响：新一代原位测量不稳定铁的传感器的开发将大大提高我们对铁生物地球化学的认识。此外，由于极短的响应时间，该传感器将提供一个独特的机会来测量铁动力学，循环这是该研究领域最大的挑战之一，被认为是控制铁对浮游植物的生物利用度的关键。因此，这个项目必将导致这一研究领域的蓬勃发展，并有可能导致新的发现。除了支持研究生和本科生，这项提案还涉及中学教师。奥克特显然与当地教育工作者建立了富有成效的关系，这些教师的来信表明他们对继续保持这种关系的热情，这使他们相信，拟议的工作将带来有效的教育成果。南密西西比大学少数族裔学生参与的潜力也很大。拟议的工作也有“施肥”的好处。海洋学领域与其他科学（化学、材料）的进展。

There is increasing evidence that iron is important not only in the regulation of bulk phytoplankton production in large regions of the world oceans, but that it also profoundly influences the speciation of algae within the phytoplankton assemblage. The broad implications resulting from these dual effects range from impacts on the global carbon cycle to the possible stimulation of harmful algal blooms. There is a strong need for ultra-sensitive, real-time monitoring and detection technologies that capture the reactive iron pool in seawater that is available to eukaryotic phytoplankton.The PI?s request funding to ?biocalibrate? the reactive iron fraction to gain a measure of iron availability to marine eukaryotic phytoplankton. The PI?s will combine Time Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) and Fluorescence Resonate Energy Transfer (FRET) to develop an ultra-sensitive photoactive nanodevice that uses the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFB) as the iron-selective sensor interface, lanthanide fluorescence to report the presence of iron in this receptor, and Q-dot nanocrystals to greatly amplify this signal to achieve the picomolar level sensitivity needed to study both coastal and offshore ocean watersThe sensor will be calibrated with a range of nearshore and offshore species of cyanobacteria, diatoms and dinoflagellates, and the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi; phytoplankton important in the regulation of carbon export from surface to the deep ocean. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a photoactive nanosensor that allows real-time in situ measurements that reflect phytoplankton growth rates.Broader Impacts: The development of new generation of sensor to measure labile iron in-situ will greatly advance our knowledge of iron biogeochemistry. In addition, due to extremely short response time, this sensor will provide a unique opportunity to measure iron kinetics, cycling which is one of the biggest challenge in this research area, believe to be critical to control iron bioavailability to phytoplankton. Therefore this project will certainly lead to the burgeoning of this research area, potentially leading to new findings. In addition to supporting graduate students and undergrads, this proposal involves middle school teachers. Orcutt has obviously established productive relationships with local educators, and the letters from these teachers outlining their enthusiasm for continuing the relationship gives confidence that the proposed work will lead to an effective educational outcome. The potential for involvement of minority students at Southern Miss. is also significant. The proposed work also has the benefit of ?fertilizing? the field of oceanography with advances in other sciences (chemistry, materials).