Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer for Exploring the Oil Fate Associated with Environmental Persistent Free Radicals on Shorelines

溢油是严重的环境问题，海洋中一定量的溢油最终会到达海岸线。搁浅在海岸线上的石油可能对沿海生物群和社区造成极其有害的影响。海岸线溢油的物理化学性质通过物理、化学和生物风化过程发生变化。为了最大限度地减少海岸线溢油的风险，并制定有效的应对措施，有必要了解石油在海岸线上的迁移和归宿。海岸线上搁浅石油的命运是复杂的，取决于各种因素。油可以发生化学变化，也可以形成新的衍生物。在这一过程中，环境持久性自由基（EPFRs）在污染物的迁移转化中起着至关重要的作用。为了更好地了解搁浅石油在海岸线上的命运，需要探索石油衍生的EPFR的形成以及石油与环境中存在的细颗粒之间的相互作用。 所要求的电子顺磁共振（EPR）光谱仪将用于探索与海岸线上的EPFR相关的石油命运。这需要开展以下工作：（一）确定油污海岸线中EPFR的类型和浓度;（二）确定受EPFR影响的石油迁移和转化途径;（三）确定石油和细颗粒之间的相互作用;以及（四）制定最佳应对和清理做法，以确保将海岸线上的石油风险降至最低。EPR可用于开发一套分析方法，用于表征海岸线上石油的命运，以及通过适当的清理技术减轻风险，并将开发的方法扩展到国内和国际的多种海岸线类型。然后，将在加拿大的范围内将开发的技术应用于石油泄漏的反应。 与Concordia大学现有分析设备相关的拟议基础设施将成为加拿大独特的环境研究设施。这项投资将支持新型和标准研发工具的复杂组合，以促进创新的溢油研究和跨多学科的合作，并将知识转移给各种环境相关部门的最终用户。一个拥有互补专业知识和国际声誉的强大研究团队将进行相关研究。自由基的检测是环境工程的前沿。所要求的EPR将为学生提供最先进的知识，在环境自由基的特性和培训的一些需求的技能。HQP将接受仪器操作、实验设计和结果分析方面的培训。所获得的技能是解决实际溢油反应问题的关键。

Oil spills are serious environmental problems and a certain amount of spilled oil in ocean will eventually reach the shoreline. The stranded oil on shoreline may cause extremely detrimental effects on coastal biota and communities. The physicochemical properties of spilled oil on shoreline change through physical, chemical and biological weathering processes. To minimize the risk of shoreline oiling and develop effective response methods, it is necessary to understand the transport and fate of oil on shoreline. The fate of stranded oil on shoreline is complex and depends on a variety of factors. The chemical change of oil can occur and new derivatives can also be formed. In this process, the environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) play a crucial role in the migration and transformation of pollutants. To better understand the fate of stranded oil on shoreline, it is required to explore the formation of EPFRs derived from oil and the interactions between oil and fine particles present in the environment. The requested electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer will be used to explore the oil fate associated with EPFRs on shorelines. This entails the works to (i) characterize the types and concentrations of EPFRs in the oiled shoreline, (ii) identify the oil migration and transformation pathways impacted by EPFRs, (iii) determine the interactions among oil and fine particles, and (iv) develop best response and cleanup practices for ensuring the minimum risk of oil on shorelines. The EPR can be used to develop a set of analytical methods for characterizing the fate of oil on shoreline as well as mitigating the risks through appropriate cleanup techniques, and extend the developed methods to multiple shoreline types nationally and internationally. The developed techniques will then be applied to oil spill response within a Canadian context. The proposed infrastructure associated with the existing analytical equipment in the Concordia University will form a unique environmental research facility in Canada. This investment will support a complex mixture of novel and standard R&D tools to foster innovative oil spill research and collaborations across multiple disciplines, and transfer knowledge to end users in various environment-related sectors. A strong research team with complementary expertise and established international reputations will conduct the related research. The detection of free radicals is at the forefront of environmental engineering. The requested EPR will provide students with state-of-the-art knowledge in the characterization of environmental radicals and training in a number of in-demand skills. The HQPs will be trained in instruments operations, experimental design, and result analysis. The obtained skills are critical for tackling practical spill response problems.