Acquisition of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

有机小分子对生态系统的功能起着重要的作用。例如，细菌和植物对微量营养素(即微量金属)的获取对氮等主要营养物质的循环和生物质生产至关重要。这种对金属的获取通常依赖于小有机分子(金属螯合剂)的释放，这些小分子通过与土壤中的天然金属络合物竞争来积极地吸收感兴趣的金属。除了这些有益于生物圈的有机小分子外，其他人为制造的有机小分子，如抗生素和杀虫剂，可能会对生态系统功能以及环境和人类健康产生负面影响。这些有机污染物在土壤中的去向和影响仍然知之甚少。*我们的多学科研究团队由化学、生物和健康科学的研究人员组成。我们开展了环境中有机小分子动力学的创新研究，包括(I)小有机配体对植物和细菌对痕量金属管理的作用，(Ii)水和土壤中有机污染物(OCS)的移动性和生物有效性，(Iii)暴露于OCS对环境和人类健康的影响，以及(Iv)开发有效处理OCS的新废水和污泥处理方法。*我们的研究依赖于对环境基质中微量浓度的小有机分子的定量分析。质谱仪(四极质谱计)是在痕量水平上分析这类化合物的金标准。所要求的设备将解决目前限制我们研究的高灵敏度定量质谱学的严重短缺，以有效地分析有机小分子。这也将有助于HQP在工作就业市场(学术界和私营部门)高需求的分析技术方面的培训。*我们的研究对加拿大有很多好处；我们关于小有机分子在细菌-植物共生获取金属方面的作用的工作将有助于提高生物质产量，并允许进一步发展植物提取和受污染地点的植被重建。我们对海洋生态系统环境命运的研究将提供制定可持续战略所需的基本知识，以保护关键的生态系统服务，如供水、土壤质量和植物生产。它还将有助于更好地评估OCS对野生动物和人类的影响，帮助决策者实施适当的立法。**

Small organic molecules play an important role on ecosystems function. For instance, the acquisition of micronutrients (i.e. trace metals) by bacteria and plants is critical to the cycling of major nutrient such as nitrogen and the production of biomass. This acquisition of metals often relies on the release of small organic molecules (metal chelating agents) that actively recruit metals of interest by competing with natural metal-complexes in soil. Besides these small organic molecules that are beneficial to the biosphere, other human made small organic molecules, such as antibiotics and pesticides, can have a negative impact on ecosystems function and environmental and human health. The fate and impact of these organic contaminants in soils remain poorly understood. ******Our multidisciplinary research team is composed of researchers from Chemistry, Biology and health sciences. We develop innovative research on small organic molecule dynamics in the environment, including (i) the role small organic ligands on trace metal management by plant and bacteria, (ii) the mobility and bioavailability of organic contaminants (OCs) in water and soil, (iii) the impact of exposure to OCs on environmental and human health and (iv) the development of new wastewater and sludges treatments efficient toward OCs. ******Our research relies on the quantitative analysis of small organic molecules that are found at trace concentrations in environmental matrices. Mass spectrometry (Quadrupole mass spectrometer) is the gold standard for the analysis of such compounds at trace levels. The requested equipment will address the acute shortage for high sensitivity quantitative mass spectrometry for the efficient analysis of small organic molecules currently limiting our research. It will also contribute to the training of HQP in analytical technics in high demand on the work job market (both academia and private sector).******The benefice of our research to Canada are numerous; Our work on the role of small organic molecules on metal acquisition by bacteria-plant symbioses will contribute to improve biomass production and allow further development in phytoextraction and revegetation of contaminated sites. Our research on the environmental fate of OCs will provide the fundamental knowledge required to develop sustainable strategies to protect critical ecosystem services such as water supply, soil quality and plant production. It will also contribute to better evaluate the impact of OCs on wildlife and humans helping decision makers implementing appropriated legislations. **