The Unique Bioinorganic Chemistry of the Formation of Hydroxyaluminosilicates: A Case to Support a New Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer

基尔大学生物无机化学实验室的研究重点是地壳中第二和第三常见元素硅和铝的生物反应性，可用性和重要性。特别是，我们已经表明，铝结合硅形成羟基铝硅酸盐，并在这样做保护免受已知的毒性铝。对于所有研究的持续成功至关重要的是，我们可以准确和可重复地测量低浓度的铝，我们使用称为石墨炉原子吸收光谱仪（GFAAS）的仪器来实现这一点。不幸的是，我们现有的机器是在1992年购买的，已经不能使用了，我们迫切需要更换它，以便我们所有的研究可以毫不拖延地继续下去。在本申请中，我们强调了我们实验室正在进行的研究，该实验室使用GFAAS以及前瞻性研究，以及我们对本科生和研究生教学的承诺，以证明我们需要一个新的GFAAS。支持购买新GFAAS的资金是本申请的主题。

Research in the Bioinorganic Chemistry Laboratory at Keele University is focussed upon the biological reactivity, availability and essentiality of the second and third most common elements of the Earth's crust, silicon and aluminium. In particular we have shown that aluminium binds silicon in forming hydroxyaluminosilicates and in doing so protects against the known toxicity of aluminium. It is essential to the continuing success of all of the research that we can measure low concentrations of aluminium accurately and reproducibly and we achieve this using instrumentation called a Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (GFAAS). Unfortunately our present machine which was bought in 1992 is no longer serviceable and we urgently require to replace it so that all of our research can continue without delay. In this application we have highlighted the ongoing research in our laboratory which uses GFAAS as well as prospective research and our committments to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students with the view to demonstrating our need for a new GFAAS. Funds to support the buying of a new GFAAS are the subject of this application.