High pressure liquid chromatography system for analyzing photosynthetic algae and bacteria in surface waters and aquatic sediments

该提案要求使用高压液相色谱（HPLC）系统来分析水、底栖动物（湖泊和溪流底部的底物）、生物群和沉积物样品中的光合藻类、细菌和高等植物的色素。具体来说，我们需要安捷伦1200系列高效液相色谱系统，具有自动分析仪和其他规格，可以快速定量和鉴定大量样品中的色素（20个样品/天），以支持四位教授的研究和培训计划，致力于了解自然水生系统如何应对人类干扰和自然现象并从中恢复。所要求的设备将使现有和未来的研究基金能够产生的数据的数量和质量得到显著改善，允许研究项目通过色素分子的机器辅助测量来量化藻类和光合细菌的反应，而不是由人类使用显微镜进行耗时、昂贵的分析。该设备将提供重要信息，以确定气候变化、河流调节和用水对重要洪泛平原环境（例如麦肯齐流域）水生系统的影响；了解气象条件与Bosumtwi湖（加纳）初级生产者之间的联系，以解释赤道西非100万年的气候变化记录；开发利用底栖藻类监测水质的创新方法，以改善区域和国家范围内地表水的管理；提高我们对滋扰藻类过度生长和藻类产生毒素的因素的认识；并提高对湖泊中自由漂浮的藻类（浮游植物）如何适应紫外线辐射等压力的理解。提议的高效液相色谱系统将大大增加在水生生态学、水文生态学和古生态学方面培养高素质人才的机会。私营和政府部门越来越多地使用高效液相色谱系统，因此，培训我们的学生使用拟议的设备将增加他们的就业机会。

This proposal requests a High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system for analyzing pigments from photosynthetic algae, bacteria and higher plants in samples of water, benthos (substrates on the bottom of lakes and streams), biota and sediment.  Specifically, we request an Agilent 1200 Series HPLC system with autoanalyzer and other specifications that allow rapid quantification and identification of pigments in large numbers of samples (20 samples/day) to support research and training programs of four professors dedicated to understanding how natural aquatic systems respond to, and recover from, human disturbances and natural phenomena.  The requested equipment will allow significant improvements in terms of quantity and quality of data that can be produced with existing and future research funds by allowing research programs to quantify responses of algae and photosynthetic bacteria via machine-aided measurements of pigment molecules, rather than time-consuming, costly analyses by humans using microscopes.  The equipment will provide important information to determine the impacts of climate variability, river regulation and consumptive water use on aquatic systems in important floodplain environments (e.g., Mackenzie Drainage Basin); to understand linkages between meteorological conditions and primary producers in Lake Bosumtwi (Ghana) as required to interpret 1 million year long records of climate change from equatorial west Africa; to develop innovative new methods to monitor water quality using benthic algae to improve management of surface waters on regional to national scales; to improve our understanding of factors promoting excessive growth of nuisance algae and production of toxins by algae; and to improve understanding of how free-floating algae (phytoplankton) in lakes adapt to stresses such as UV radiation. The proposed HPLC system will significantly enhance opportunities for training highly qualified personnel in state-of-the-art techniques in aquatic ecology, hydro-ecology and paleoecology.  Use of HPLC systems by private and government sectors is increasing, thus, training our students on the proposed equipment will enhance their employment opportunities.