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

PI申请资金用于购买非对称流场-流分馏（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，支持和扩大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。研究表明，胶体和纳米颗粒是调节水生环境中许多化学物质和污染物的浓度和形态，从而影响其命运、运输和生物利用度/毒性的重要媒介。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-流分馏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）相结合，它将允许阐明水生环境中胶体/大分子与微量金属和放射性核素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，支持和扩大研究生教育和我们正在进行的研究项目在天然胶体和工程纳米颗粒在水生系统。新仪器将把研究生和本科生的研究训练与海洋生物地球化学和环境研究的教育结合起来。USM是EPSCoR机构，拥有超过27%的少数民族，因此该设施将加强对多元化劳动力的培训和支持。来自附近几所学术机构和联邦机构的合作者也宣布，如果将该系统引入USM，他们将使用该系统。

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.