MRI: Track 1: Acquisition of an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer to Quantify Trace Metal Ions Enabling New Research and Research Training at Barnard College

该奖项由重大研究仪器计划和化学研究仪器计划支持。巴纳德学院的Austin、Brenner、Donegan、Mailloux和Vizcarra博士将获得一台电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)。电感耦合等离子体质谱可测量许多不同样品类型中极低水平的金属，包括：生物分子、组织、固体材料(经过适当处理)和水样。该仪器将允许巴纳德和该地区其他机构的研究人员在化学、生物学和环境科学领域开展重要领域的研究，包括：地下水和土壤污染；助长持续、难以治疗的细菌感染的营养源；以及全球碳循环。在巴纳德学院购买一个电感耦合等离子体质谱仪将支持学生参加一系列研究和研究培训计划，包括旨在使科学和工程劳动力多样化的计划。获得一台电感耦合等离子体质谱将使许多不同的研究小组能够回答有关金属离子在复杂系统中的作用的令人恼火的问题。该仪器将能够确定非结核分枝杆菌吸收血红素所涉及的细胞过程。它还将有助于确定非血红素二铁酶烷烃单加氧酶(AlkB)的活性部位。关于厌氧细菌代谢和砷溶解之间的耦合问题，将通过使用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪测量中游实验水样中的砷含量来解决。生活在EPA指定的超级基金地点附近的牡蛎通过分析它们的壳来记录铅污染的能力将使用该仪器进行调查。该仪器还将有助于正在进行的工作，以检验这一假设，即稻米中的砷含量在很大程度上受土壤中锌含量的控制，高砷含量与缺锌土壤相关。该仪器检测大量金属痕量水平的能力将用于几个催化项目，在这些项目中，将检查反应介质，以确定在化学反应期间是否有金属离子从催化剂表面渗出。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 is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation Program and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program. Drs. Austin, Brenner, Donegan, Mailloux, and Vizcarra at Barnard College will acquire an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). ICP-MS enables the measurement of very low levels of metals in many different sample types, including: biological molecules, tissues, solid materials (after appropriate treatment), and water samples. This instrument will allow researchers at Barnard and other institutions in the region to pursue important areas of research in the fields of Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science, including: groundwater and soil contamination; nutrient sources that fuel persistent, difficult-to-treat bacterial infections; and the global cycling of carbon. The acquisition of an ICP-MS at Barnard College will support students in a range of research and research training programs, including programs targeting at diversifying the scientific and engineering workforce. The acquisition of an ICP-MS will enable a number of different research groups to answer vexing questions about the role of metal ions in complex systems. The instrument will enable the determination of the cellular processes involved in heme uptake in non-tuberculosis mycobacterium. It will also facilitate identification of the active site of the non heme diiron enzyme alkane monooxygenase (AlkB). Questions about the coupling between the metabolism of anaerobic bacteria and arsenic solubilization will be addressed by using the ICP-MS to measure arsenic levels in water samples from mesocosm experiments. The capacity of oysters living in close proximity to an EPA-designated Superfund site to record lead contamination by analysis of their shells will be investigated using the instrument. The instrument will also contribute to on-going work to test the hypothesis that arsenic levels in rice grains are controlled, to a large extent, by zinc levels in soils, with high arsenic levels correlated with zinc-depleted soils. The ability of the instrument to detect trace levels of large number of metals will be used in several catalytic projects where the reaction medium will be examined to determine if metal ions are leaching from catalyst surfaces during chemical reactions.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.