MRI: Acquisition of a Purge and Trap Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for Compound/Position-Specific Applications in Biogeochemistry and Ecological Studies at TAMU Corpus Christi

MRI：在科珀斯克里斯蒂 TAMU 购买吹扫捕集同位素比质谱仪，用于生物地球化学和生态学研究中的化合物/位置特异性应用

• 批准号: 2216356
• 负责人: Lin Zhang
• 金额: $ 25.86万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2216356&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Purge; Trap; Isotope

This award supports the acquisition of a Purge and Trap Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (PT-IRMS) at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), which will enable leading-edge compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of key organic (e.g., amino acids) and inorganic (e.g., nitrate) materials in one location. While nitrogen (N) and carbon stable isotope analysis of bulk tissue and particle samples have been broadly used in a remarkable variety of research fields such as archeology, astrobiochemistry, ecology, forensic anthropology, oceanography, and paleo-sciences, the isotopic signatures of single compounds will reveal more critical information on food web isotope baselines and biochemical processes during trophic transfer and under different physiological conditions. Broadly, this acquisition will expand TAMU-CC's basic research infrastructure and enable collaborative and transformative research among a diverse group of users at TAMU-CC that addresses pressing questions of importance to society. This acquisition will make a fundamental contribution to TAMU-CC’s education goals as a Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution, by providing graduate and undergraduate students, especially those from underrepresented groups (e.g., McNair and LSAMP scholars), equal access to cutting-edge instrumentation and hands-on experience directly transferrable to STEM careers, which will promote diversity and inclusion in both regional and national STEM workforces. TAMU-CC will acquire a customized PT-IRMS with the ability to measure low levels (nanomoles) of nitrous oxide (N2O) converted from amino acids and inorganic nitrogenous nutrients (ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite). This instrument will enhance analytical capabilities at TAMU-CC and allow researchers to investigate 1) food web structural response to variation in upwelling (Gulf of California), alterations in hydrological cycles (coastal Texas), and disturbance by environmental stressors (hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico) caused by climate change and human activities; 2) nitrogenous nutrient assimilation and amino acid metabolism in phytoplankton (key players in the biological carbon pump and climate systems) under different physiological conditions, 3) greenhouse gas N2O production in Texas coastal wetlands and estuaries experiencing elevated anthropogenic N loading, which will provide key information to policy-makers regarding N mitigation in Texas; and 4) nitrogenous nutrient exchange mechanisms within coral holobionts in response to ocean acidification. A dedicated PT-IRMS will further allow researchers to develop position-specific isotope analytical methods for the sidechain-N in polynitrogenous amino acids which may contain unaltered N isotope baseline information. Advanced forensic identification methods using CSIA of amino acids will also be developed to help identify deceased border crossers in South Texas.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

This award supports the acquisition of a Purge and Trap Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (PT-IRMS) at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), which will enable leading-edge compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of key organic (e.g., amino acids) and inorganic (e.g., nitrate) materials in one location. While nitrogen (N) and carbon stable isotope analysis of bulk tissue and particle samples have been broadly used in a remarkable variety of research fields such as archeology, astrobiochemistry, ecology, forensic anthropology, oceanography, and paleo-sciences, the isotopic signatures of single compounds will reveal more critical information on food web isotope baselines and biochemical processes during trophic transfer and under different身体状况。从广义上讲，此次收购将扩大TAMU-CC的基础研究基础架构，并在TAMU-CC的潜水员群体中实现合作和变革性研究，以解决对社会重要的重要问题。这次收购将通过为TAMU-CC作为西班牙裔服务机构和少数群体的教育目标做出基本贡献，通过提供研究生和本科生，尤其是来自代表性不足的团体的研究生和本科生，例如McNair和LSAMP学者（例如，McNair和LSAMP学者）（例如，与最高级别的级别级别访问tamu cons insirans taumiend a insird taumiend tamuigniand tamu sigriand Tamu-ccc coile tamu-ccc coire-ccc coire-ccc-从氨基酸和无机氮营养（铵，硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐）转化的一氧化二氮（N2O）的（纳米尔）。该仪器将增强TAMU-CC的分析能力，并允许研究人员研究1）食物网络结构对上升变化（加利福尼亚湾）的变化，水文周期（沿海德克萨斯州）的变化以及环境压力源（墨西哥湾中的缺氧）的灾难（由气候变化和人类活动引起的）； 2) nitrogenous nutrient assimilation and amino acid metabolism in phytoplankton (key players in the biologic carbon pump and climate systems) under different physiological conditions, 3) greenhouse gas N2O production in Texas coastal wetlands and estuaries experiencing elevated anthropogenic N loading, which will provide key information to policy-makers regarding N mitigation in Texas; 4）依赖海洋酸化的珊瑚霍洛比特族内的氮营养交换机制。专用的PT-IRMS将进一步允许研究人员为多义氨基酸中的Sidechain-N开发特定位置的同位素分析方法，该方法可能包含未改变的N同位素基线信息。还将开发使用氨基酸CSIA的先进法医识别方法，以帮助确定南德克萨斯州的已故越野越过的越野人。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准来评估，被认为是珍贵的支持。