MRI: Acquisition of an LC/MS/MS System for Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Projects

液相色谱（LC）作为一种常规技术广泛应用于分析和生物分析领域，用于鉴定、定量和纯化混合物中的成分。传统的程序对这些结果造成了歧义。在LC中加入质谱将有助于减少这种不确定性。LC/MS/MS技术具有很高的灵敏度和选择性。一般来说，它的应用方向是在复杂混合物中存在其他化学物质的情况下对化学物质进行特定的检测和潜在的鉴定，以涵盖从精确的质量测量和未知物质的结构表征到痕量水平定量分析的广泛应用。拉马尔大学的工程学院和文理学院都在努力提高他们在环境和生化研究方面的分析能力。该团队正在申请资金，为教师和学生的研究项目和校际合作项目购买LC/MS/MS。目前，大学校园内没有LC/MS或LC/MS/MS仪器。研究人员必须在成本和交货时间都极高的商业设施中进行这样的分析。如果能够获得LC/MS/MS，团队计划实现以下两个目标：(i)在化学工程、土木与环境工程、化学与生物化学、生物学等领域进行基础研究和开发新的分析方法，以及（ii）应用最新技术和教学实践来教育这些领域的学生。

1338088ChenLiquid Chromatography (LC) is widely used in analytical and bioanalytical areas as a routine technique to identify, quantify, and purify components present in a mixture. The conventional procedure for these imposes ambiguity on the results. Inclusion of Mass Spectroscopy to LC will help to minimize this uncertainty. LC/MS/MS is a powerful technique with very high sensitivity and selectivity. Generally its application is oriented towards the specific detection and potential identification of chemicals in the presence of other chemicals in a complex mixture to cover wide applications ranging from accurate mass measurement and structural characterization of unknowns to trace-level quantitative analysis. Lamar University (LU) is pursuing enhancement of their analytical capabilities for the environmental and biochemical research in both college of engineering and college of Arts & Science. The team is requesting funds for acquisition of a LC/MS/MS for faculty and student research projects and inter-university collaborative projects. Currently, there are no LC/MS or LC/MS/MS instruments on the LU campus. Researchers must get such analyses at commercial facilities where the costs and lead time are extremely high. If the LC/MS/MS can be acquired, the team plans to achieve the following two objectives: (i) basic research and development of new analysis methods in Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Biology, and (ii) application of the latest technology and pedagogical practices to educate students in these areas.