A SelFrag facility to underpin UK geoscience

英国在地球科学方面走在前列，其中包括同位素计量学、微古生物学和晶体学。所有这些技术都依赖于对自然样品（岩石、土壤、化石、矿物、金属、动物物质）的测量，从中可以分离出特定的成分。这些成分必须是无污染的，在某些情况下，如微化石检查、硅藻表征和使用热年代学重建的热历史，这些组成部分需要是完整的（例如，完整的磷灰石晶体）。SelFrag系统是实验室规模的解决方案，用于在NERC科学范围内使用的各种材料的选择性碎片。这是唯一的提取系统，可以释放这些组件整体而不机械破坏的材料。selrag使用高压放电将材料碎片化，从整体中分离出单个组件，无论是岩石还是电子垃圾。SelFrag系统是独立的，紧凑的，并在瑞士建造，以满足所有欧盟健康和安全法规。该系统非常适合用于地球科学、采矿和回收研究，英国早就应该建立这种能力。目前，英国各地的许多实验室和研究人员以现收现付的方式在国外获得这种能力——英国的研究资金支持国际业务，这既浪费资金，又周转缓慢。对于没有资金支付访问费用的研究人员来说，这种技术是无法获得的，研究不得不使用劣质样本进行分析。目前，SelFrag在英国是不可用的，因此建立这个实验室将提供一个独特的分析资源。SUERC将通过NERC国家环境同位素设施以开放获取的形式运营该实验室，NERC国家环境同位素设施是一个提供同位素地球化学社区供应的实验室集群。通过使用这种交付模型，所有在NERC职权范围内工作的英国研究人员都可以访问SelFrag功能。在英国研究与创新的支持下，项目团队还将为STFC和EPSRC的研究人员提供独特的样品制备解决方案（例如，陨石研究，电子，回收）。我们提出的交付模式将确保NERC资本投资的最大影响，这是许多科学实验/项目的第一步-样品制备的基础。目前受雇于SUERC的科学家和技术人员将操作SelFrag系统，从而为NERC和英国用户社区提供重要的附加价值。交付该能力的团队在交付基于社区的技术设施和能力方面经验丰富——SelFrag是对NEIF提供的能力的高度赞扬。通过与PIs和NERC博士培训伙伴关系的长期讨论，已经建立了社区需求，并且在SUERC建立SelFrag实验室有可能使英国的每个学术机构受益，并为环境科学的博士生提供尖端培训。这将使英国科学家在矿物、岩石、金属、化石等制备方面具有国际竞争力，从而保持在各自研究领域的前沿。

The UK is at the forefront of geoscience, which includes isotope metrology, micropalaeontology and crystallography. All these techniques rely on the measurements of natural samples (rocks, soils, fossils, minerals, metals, animal matter) from which specific components can be isolated. These components have to be contaminant-free and in some cases, such as microfossil examination, diatom characterisation, and thermal history reconstruction using thermochronology the component parts need to be intact (e.g., complete apatite crystals). The SelFrag system is a laboratory scale solution for selective fragmentation of a wide variety of materials used across the NERC science remit. It is the only extraction system that can liberate such components whole without mechanical breakdown of the materials. The SelFrag uses a high voltage discharge to fragment batches of material and liberate individual components from the whole, whether rock or electronic waste. The SelFrag system is self-contained, compact, and constructed in Switzerland to meet all EU health and safety regulations. The system is ideal for use in geosciences, mining, and recycling research and establishment of this capability in the UK is long overdue. Currently numerous laboratories and investigators throughout the UK access this capability abroad on a pay-as-you-go basis - UK research funding is supporting international operations, which is both a waste of money and turnaround is slow. For researchers without funding to pay for access, this technique is inaccessible and studies have to make do with inferior samples for analysis.Currently SelFrag is not available in the UK and hence establishment of this laboratory will provide a unique analytical resource. SUERC will operate this laboratory in an open access format through the NERC National Environmental Isotope Facility, a cluster of laboratories that provide community provision in isotope geochemistry. By using this delivery model the SelFrag capability will be accessible by all UK investigators that work within the NERC remit. Under the auspices of UK Research and Innovation, the project team will also look to provide provide unique sample preparation solutions to researchers operating within the remit of STFC and EPSRC (e.g., meteorite research, electronics, recycling). Our proposed delivery model will ensure maximum impact from NERC capital investment, the kit underpinning the first steps of many scientific experiments/projects - sample preparation.Scientists and technical staff who are currently employed at SUERC will operate the SelFrag system thereby providing significant added value to NERC and the UK user community. The team that will deliver the capability are experienced in delivering community-based technical facilities and capability - the SelFrag is highly complimentary to the capability offered by NEIF. Community demand has been established through protracted discussion with PIs and the NERC Doctoral training Partnerships and the establishment of a SelFrag laboratory at SUERC has potential to benefit every academic institution within the UK and provide cutting-edge training to PhD students in the environmental sciences. It will allow for UK-based scientists to be competitive internationally with respect to preparation of minerals, rocks, metals, fossils etc. and thus remain at the forefront of their areas of research.