MRI: Acquisition of a flow field-flow fractionation system to enhance colloidal research and education at USM

PI申请资金以获得非对称流场流分离（FFF）系统。该工具将支持跨学科的教师研究，将研究生和本科教育与研究相结合。所要求的仪器将增加新的研究能力，支持和加强研究生教育和正在进行的水生系统中天然胶体和纳米颗粒的研究项目。已经表明，胶体和纳米颗粒是调节浓度和形态的重要中间体，从而调节水生环境中许多化学物质和污染物的归宿、运输和生物利用度/毒性。然而，天然胶体的定量表征及其环境行为的知识仍然很少。流场-流分级是一种类似色谱的洗脱技术，能够同时分离和表征胶体、纳米颗粒和大分子。它具有提供胶体和其他纳米颗粒的连续尺寸分布或尺寸谱的优点。通过直接或间接地与其他在线或离线检测技术（如ICP-MS和γ/α光谱仪）连接，它将能够阐明胶体/大分子与水环境中痕量金属和放射性核素之间相互作用的途径和机制。更广泛的影响：所要求的仪器将增加新的研究能力，支持和增强研究生教育以及我们正在进行的天然胶体和水生系统中的工程纳米粒子研究项目。新的仪器将把研究生和本科生的研究培训与海洋生物地球化学和环境研究教育结合起来。USM是一个EPSCoR机构，有超过27%的少数民族，所以这个设施将加强培训和支持多元化的劳动力。来自附近几个学术机构和联邦机构的合作者也宣布，如果带到USM，他们将使用这个系统。

The PI's request funding to acquire an asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (FFF) system. This instrument will support cross-disciplinary faculty research that integrates graduate and undergraduate education with research. The requested instrument will add new research capabilities, support and augment graduate education and ongoing research projects in natural colloids and nanoparticles in aquatic systems. It has been shown that colloids and nanoparticles are important intermediaries in regulating the concentration and speciation and thus the fate, transport and bioavailability/toxicity of many chemical species and contaminants in aquatic environments. However, quantitative characterization of natural colloids and knowledge of their environmental behavior remains scarce. Flow field-flow fractionation is a chromatograph-like elution technique capable of simultaneous separation and characterization of colloids, nanoparticles and macromolecules. It has the advantages of providing a continuous size distribution or size spectrum of colloids and other nanoparticles. By interfacing directly or indirectly with other online or offline detection techniques such as ICP-MS and gamma/alpha spectrometer, it will allow the elucidation of pathways and mechanisms in the interactions between colloids/macromolecules and trace metals and radionuclides in aquatic environments.Broader Impacts:The requested instrument will add new research capabilities, support and augment graduate education and our ongoing research projects in natural colloids and engineered nanoparticles in aquatic systems. The new instrument will integrate graduate and undergraduate research training with education in marine biogeochemical and environmental research. USM is an EPSCoR institution with over 27% minorities so this facility would enhance the training and support of a diverse workforce. Collaborators from several nearby academic institutions and federal agencies have also declared that this system would be utilized by them if brought to USM.