MRI: Acquisition of a Customized GC-IRMS for Isotopic Analysis of Nitrate and Nitrous Oxide at URI

仪器项目重点采购一台带气相色谱前端的同位素比质谱仪。具体来说，该提案要求将定制一个新的气源同位素比质谱仪，该质谱仪带有气相色谱入口（GC-IRMS），用于测量硝酸盐和氧化亚氮的稳定同位素。在过去的几十年里，分析化学和仪器的技术进步提高了这些测量的灵敏度和精度，这反过来又扩大了对氮生物地球化学循环的理解。氮循环的环境特性反过来又对全球农业、地外生态和海洋生产力的健康至关重要。获得定制的GC-IRMS将允许在URI进行更多和改进的稳定同位素测量。最近的技术进步提高了灵敏度和精度，比目前的能力提高了3倍。这将使研究人员能够解决分析可用性有限或需要更高精度的样品的问题，或者两者兼而有之。GSO加强的同位素基础设施和专业知识将吸引有才华的新学生，博士后和教师到GSO，为他们提供尖端分析技术的市场技能。这反过来将有助于改善培训机会，促进STEM领域的多样性和包容性。该提案符合MRI和EPSCoR共同资助指南的特点包括：与美国和国外其他大学的研究人员合作；为稳定同位素研究教育提供仪器；通过为学生提供培训机会并将其纳入大学课程，将研究与教育相结合。该项目由南极科学、极地计划办公室（OPP）、刺激竞争性研究的既定计划（EPSCoR）和主要仪器研究计划MRI共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The instrumentation project focuses on the purchase of an isotope ratio mass spectrometer with a gas chromatographic front end. Specifically the proposal request will customize a new gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer with a gas chromatographic inlet (GC-IRMS) for measurement of the stable isotopes of nitrate and nitrous oxide. Technological advances in analytical chemistry and instrumentation over the last several decades improved the sensitivity and precision of these measurements, which in turn expanded the understanding of the nitrogen biogeochemical cycles. The environmental properties of the N cycle are in turn key to the health of global agriculture, extra-terrestrial ecology and marine productivity. Acquisition of a customized GC-IRMS will allow more and improved stable isotope measurements to be made at URI. Recent technological advances provide enhanced sensitivity and precision, up to a 3-fold improvement from current capabilities. This should allow researchers to address questions on samples with limited availability for analysis or that require greater precision, or both.The enhanced isotope infrastructure and expertise at GSO will attract talented new students, postdocs, and faculty to GSO, providing them with marketable skills in cutting edge analytical techniques. This will in turn facilitate improved training opportunities that promote diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.Characteristics of this proposal that align with MRI and EPSCoR co-funding guidelines include: collaboration with researchers at other universities in the US and abroad; provides instrumentation for stable isotope research education; integration of research and education through training opportunities for students and incorporation in college courses.This project is jointly funded by Antarctic Sciences, Office of Polar Programs (OPP), by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), and MRI, the Major Instrumentation Research Program.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.