Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer for Analysis of Microbial Biogeochemistry in Environmental Samples

为支持环境科学的新研究，需要一种高效源的气相色谱-质谱仪(GC MS)。在环境地球化学领域，利用该仪器进行的研究将阐明有机污染物的来源、迁移和降解。这项研究中产生的新见解将有助于保护加拿大和世界各地的水和空气质量，从而有助于保护人类和生态系统健康。在有机地球化学/天体生物学领域内，将得到支持的研究重点是关于生命，特别是微生物生命的能力和极限以及这种生命留下的生物特征的基本问题。这项研究的新成果对地球上微生物生命的功能、地质记录中存在的微生物生命的生物特征提供了更多的洞察，并确定了可用作寻找地球以外生命的基础的生物特征。所要求的GC MS是一种高度通用的仪器，可以识别和定量各种有机化合物。所要求的系统是为尽可能高的灵敏度而设计的，从而能够以最大的空间或时间分辨率进行环境研究。在研究发生在毫米或更小尺度上的微生物过程时，以及在微生物丰度和相关生物特征丰度可能非常低的情况下研究微生物生命的极限时，这种分辨率是一个关键因素。尽管在现代和地质环境中，这些空间尺度很小，生物标志物的丰度可能很低，但微生物过程几乎参与了地球上每一次营养、污染物和能量的循环。因此，了解它们对于了解地球上的生命和我们对它的影响，以及寻找地球以外生命的证据至关重要。除了促进研究外，GC MS还是环境研究和分析中广泛使用的工具。所要求的仪器将能够培训下一代环境科学家在分子水平上分析有机化合物所需的技能，以及如何为这些类型的分析开发新的方法，以便他们准备好在未来发现新的感兴趣的化合物时作出反应。

A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC MS) with high efficiency source (HES) is requested to support novel research in environmental science. In the field of environmental geochemistry, research undertaken with this instrument will elucidate the sources, transport and degradation of organic contaminants. The new insights generated during this research will contribute to the protection of water and air quality in Canada and around the world and therefore to the protection of human and ecosystem health. Within the fields of organic geochemistry/astrobiology the research that will be supported focuses on fundamental questions concerning the capabilities and limits of life, particularly microbial life, and the biosignatures that such life leaves behind. The novel outcomes of this research provide greater insight into the functioning of microbial life on Earth, the biosignatures of microbial life present in the geologic record, and define the biosignatures that may be used as a basis for searching for life beyond the Earth. The GC MS requested is a highly versatile instrument that can identify and quantify a wide range of organic compounds. The requested system is designed for the highest possible sensitivity which enables environmental research with the greatest spatial or temporal resolution. Such resolution is a key factor when studying microbial processes that occur over scales of millimeters or less and for studying microbial life at its limits where microbial abundances and associated biosignatures may be present at very low abundances. Despite these small spatial scales and potentially low abundances of biomarkers in modern and geologic settings, microbial processes mediate nearly every cycle of nutrients, contaminants and energy on Earth. Understanding them is therefore critical to understanding life on Earth and our impact on it, and to searching for evidence of life beyond the Earth. In addition to facilitating research, the GC MS is a widely used tool in environmental research and analysis. The requested instrument will enable training of the next generation of environmental scientists in the skills required to analyze organic compounds at the molecular level, and how to develop new methods for these types of analyses such that they are prepared to respond when new compounds of interest are discovered in the future.