Applied mass specrometry in occupational allergen monitoring and in biomass to bio-fuels/chemicals research

该研究计划利用我们建立的质谱设施进行两个项目主题的基础研究：（1）开发合适的质谱（MS）方法来识别和测量贝类加工厂中的空气过敏蛋白，以及学校中的霉菌孢子和（2）解决生物质热解转化领域可再生，第二代生物燃料/化学品研究中的分析挑战。 空气中的过敏原是特别重要的，在加拿大大西洋，职业蟹哮喘是在许多工厂普遍存在，并有一个过敏原监测的迫切需要。室内霉菌与呼吸道健康影响和过敏有关。没有足够灵敏的可靠方法来识别空气传播的霉菌或其过敏蛋白。将进行生物活性蛋白的鉴定，并通过肽质量指纹图谱表征靶蛋白，并使用串联MS进行从头测序。将为每种靶蛋白选择每种过敏原的唯一替代肽，用于定量。 生物质热解转化为生物燃料和化学品的技术最近越来越受到科学界的关注。这种可再生的碳中性能源或化学原料有可能取代石油衍生燃料。然而，热解油是属于不同产品类别的广泛有机物的复杂混合物。油的复杂组成是由于热解生物质原料的主要组分（纤维素、半纤维素和木质素）时发生的大量反应。为了深入了解热解油及其原料的分子组成，我们的团队将开发强大的基于MS的方法，以快速筛选常见的生物质原料，并识别不需要的次级反应/产物。最后，微波辅助热解将作为传统热解加热的替代方案进行研究。热化学生物精炼研究对加拿大尤为重要。鉴于我们拥有巨大的可再生生物质财富，我们拥有重大利益。

This research program utilizes our established mass spectrometric facilities to undertake fundamental research in two project themes: (1) To develop suitable mass spectrometric (MS) methods to identify and measure airborne allergenic proteins in shellfish processing plants, and mould spores in schools and (2) To address analytical challenges in renewable, second generation bio-fuels/ chemicals research in the area of pyrolytic conversion of biomass. Airborne allergens are of particular importance in Atlantic Canada where occupational crab asthma is prevalent in many plants and there is an urgent need for allergen monitoring. Indoor mould is associated with respiratory health effects and allergies. There are no reliable methods sensitive enough to identify airborne moulds or their allergenic proteins. Identification of bioactive proteins will be performed and target proteins characterized by peptide mass fingerprinting and de novo sequenced using tandem MS. A unique surrogate peptide for each allergen will be selected for each target protein for quantitation purposes. Technologies for the pyrolytic conversion of biomass to bio-fuels and chemicals have recently received increased interest from the scientific community. This renewable, carbon-neutral energy source or chemical feedstock has the potential to displace petroleum-derived fuels. However, the pyrolysis oil is a complex mixture of a broad range of organics belonging to different product groups. The complex composition of the oil is due to the large number of reactions taking place when pyrolysing the main components of the biomass feedstock (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin). To gain insights into the molecular composition of pyrolysis oil and its feedstock, our team will develop robust MS-based methods to rapidly screen common biomass feedstocks and to identify unwanted secondary reactions/products. Finally, microwave-assisted pyrolysis will be investigated as an alternative to conventional pyrolysis heating. Thermochemical biorefinery research is particularly important for Canada. We have a major stake given our enormous wealth of renewable biomass.