MRI: Acquisition of Time of Flight-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer to support multi-disciplinary research and training in South Carolina and Nationw

该合同将允许获得飞行时间电感耦合等离子体质谱(TOF-ICPMS)。通常情况下，电感耦合等离子体质谱被广泛用于分析完全消解成溶解状态的复杂基质中的金属同位素。虽然这种形式的电感耦合等离子体质谱分析仍然普遍使用，但产生瞬时(短至500微秒)信号的替代采样方法正在被广泛采用，例如单颗粒和单细胞电感耦合等离子体质谱分析。顺序扫描电感耦合等离子体质谱仪器仅限于测量一种元素的瞬时信号。然而，许多材料是由多种元素组成的。飞行时间-电感耦合等离子体质谱可实现：1)在不到50微秒的时间内，针对每一次测量，完全同时检测从Li到U的所有元素的整个质谱图；2)在快速瞬变信号中进行多元素测定，如单个颗粒和单个细胞；3)提高精度，特别是在测量同位素比率方面；4)实时内部标准化；以及5)非目标分析，即在不事先了解样品中的分析物的情况下识别样品中的分析物。收购TOF-ICP-MS将通过实现对瞬时信号的同步、无目标、多元素分析，填补南卡罗来纳大学元素分析设施的一个关键空白。收购TOF-ICP-MS将加强正在进行的基础研究，并支持多种应用，包括：1)表征天然纳米颗粒(NNPs)，以更好地了解它们的性质、环境行为/功能以及对环境和人类健康的影响；2)表征工程(ENPs)，以支持新ENPs的开发，并评估环境ENP暴露对环境和人类健康的潜在影响；3)表征附带纳米颗粒(INPs)，以了解废物燃烧和热处理过程中排放的气溶胶中金属的去向和行为及其对空气质量的影响；以及4)为NSF资助的弗吉尼亚理工大学国家地球和环境纳米技术基础设施中心(NanoEarth)提供分析支持。这些项目处于各自领域的前沿，但它们的持续成功取决于随时可以使用拟议的仪器。收购TOF-ICP-MS将加强和加速PI与教职员工、联邦机构(EPA、NIST和USGS)以及纳米地球之间的现有合作，并将允许研究人员与国内和国际其他机构建立新的合作。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award will permit the acquisition of a time of flight-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (TOF-ICP-MS). In general, ICP-MS is widely used to analyze metal isotopes in complex matrices after complete digestion into dissolved form. Although this form of ICP-MS analysis remains commonly used, alternative sampling approaches that produce transient (as short as 500 microseconds) signals are being adapted extensively, such as single particle and single cell ICP-MS analysis. Sequential scanning ICP-MS instrumentations are limited to measuring transient signals of one element only. However, many materials are composed of multi elements. The TOF-ICP-MS allow: 1) full simultaneous detection of the entire mass spectrum of elements from Li to U for every single measurement in less than 50 microseconds; 2) multi-element determinations in fast transient signals such as single particles and single cells; 3) improved precision, particularly for measuring isotope ratios; 4) real-time internal standardization; and 5) untargeted analysis, i.e., identifying analytes in a sample without a priori knowledge of analytes in the sample. The acquisition of the TOF-ICP-MS will fill a crucial gap in elemental analytical facilities at the University of South Carolina by enabling simultaneous, untargeted, multi-element analysis of transient signals. The acquisition of TOF-ICP-MS will enhance on-going fundamental studies and support diverse applications including: 1) characterization of natural nanoparticles (NNPs) to better understand their properties, environmental behaviors/functions, and environmental and human health implications; 2) characterization of engineered (ENPs) to underpin development of new ENPs and assess environmental ENP exposure for potential environmental and human health implications; 3) characterization of incidental nanoparticles (INPs) to understand the fate and behavior of metals in aerosols emitted during combustion and thermal processing of wastes and their impact on air quality; and 4) provide analytical support for the NSF-funded Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth). These projects are at the forefront of their respective fields, yet their continued success hinges on ready access to the proposed instrumentation. The acquisition of the TOF-ICP-MS will enhance and accelerate existing collaborations between the PI and faculty, federal agencies (EPA, NIST and USGS), and NanoEarth, and will allow the researchers to establish new collaborations with other institutions nationally and internationally.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.