CAREER: A Molecular Level Investigation of Halogenation as a Mechanism of Trace Gas Production and Organic Carbon Transformation at the Surface Ocean

职业：卤化作为表层海洋痕量气体产生和有机碳转化机制的分子水平研究

• 批准号: 2236695
• 负责人: Yina Liu
• 金额: $ 96.59万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-05-01 至 2028-04-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2236695&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Molecular; Level; Investigation; Halogenation

Halogenation occurs when elements such as chlorine and bromine are added to organic compounds in the ocean. This process can produce gases that damage the ozone layer. Halogenation in the ocean is not well understood because most halogen-containing molecules remain unknown. Understanding halogenation in seawater is key because: (1) it may control recovery of the ozone hole as the Montreal Protocol phases out the use of man-made ozone-depleting substances and (2) some halogen-containing molecules can contribute to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This CAREER research project will develop new analytical and data science tools that can be used to identify halogen-containing molecules in the marine environment. The research also contributes to public health because damage to the ozone layer in the stratosphere is known to increase risks for skin cancer and cataracts. This CAREER research project includes educational activities to improve scientific literacy and to train the next generation of scientists and policymakers. Project activities include: (1) cutting-edge research training for undergraduate and graduate students, (2) partnerships with high school teachers to develop teaching materials, and (3) building relationships with communities underrepresented in STEM by working with established outreach programs led by the Texas Sea Grant Program.The motivation for this NSF CAREER research project is that organic carbon (OC) halogenation simultaneously affects the carbon cycle and atmospheric chemistry, contributing to stratospheric ozone depletion. The overarching research goal of this CAREER project is to identify the molecular-level chemical drivers of volatile and non-volatile halogenated organic carbon (VHOC and HOC) formation in the surface ocean. A series of laboratory experiments, student-led field observations, untargeted analyses using high-resolution mass spectrometry, and novel data pipelines will be used to achieve this goal through the pursuit of four specific research objectives: (1) identify OC moieties susceptible to halogenation, (2) identify VHOC precursor compounds in halogenation and assess production efficiency in single model compounds and complex mixtures, (3) identify HOC precursor compounds, trace HOC products, and predict their stabilities, and (4) determine the natural occurrence and chemical characteristics of HOC in the ocean. These research objectives are integral to the educational objectives. HOC characterization in the ocean will be achieved through annual undergraduate student-led cruises that will expose students to cutting-edge research. High school teachers will be funded in the summer to contribute to laboratory experiments alongside the Principal Investigator (PI) and graduate and undergraduate students. The collaboration between the PI and teachers will be used to develop high school instructional resources and classroom activities for a Marine Organic Biogeochemistry curriculum. Research results from this CAREER research will be synthesized and communicated to underrepresented communities through collaboration with the statewide network of the Texas Sea Grant agents, specialists, and communicators. This project will produce a first-of-its-kind HOC library and time series in the Gulf of Mexico that will provide a solid foundation for future HOC research by the broader scientific community.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.

当将氯和溴等元素添加到海洋中的有机化合物中时，就会发生卤素化。此过程会产生破坏臭氧层的气体。海洋中的卤素化尚不清楚，因为大多数含卤素的分子仍然未知。理解海水中的卤素是关键的，因为：（1）它可以控制臭氧孔的回收，因为蒙特利亚方案的阶段是使用人造臭氧的物质的使用，并且（2）某些含卤素的分子可以有助于将二氧化碳从大气中清除。该职业研究项目将开发新的分析和数据科学工具，可用于识别海洋环境中含卤素的分子。这项研究也有助于公共卫生，因为已知对平流层中臭氧层的损害会增加皮肤癌和白内障的风险。该职业研究项目包括提高科学素养的教育活动，并培训下一代科学家和政策制定者。项目活动包括：（1）针对本科生和研究生的尖端研究培训，（2）与高中教师开发教学材料的伙伴关系，（3）通过与由德克萨斯州海洋授予计划领导的既定外展计划建立与STEM的社区建立关系不足的关系。平流层臭氧消耗。该职业项目的总体研究目标是确定地表海洋中挥发性和非挥霍卤代有机碳（VHOC和HOC）形成的分子级化学驱动因素。一系列实验室实验，学生领导的现场观察，使用高分辨率质谱法进行的不靶向分析以及新型数据管道将通过追求四个特定的研究目标来实现这一目标：（1）确定易于卤代易感的OC，（2）识别出卤化物的生产成果，并评估单个模型的复杂效应（3），并评估了单个模型的组合（3）。前体化合物，痕量HOC产物并预测其稳定性，（4）确定海洋中HOC的自然发生和化学特征。这些研究目标是教育目标不可或缺的。通过年度学生主导的巡游将实现海洋的事件特征，这将使学生接受尖端的研究。高中教师将在夏季获得资助，以与主要研究人员（PI）以及研究生和本科生一起为实验室实验做出贡献。 PI与教师之间的合作将用于开发海洋有机生物地球化学课程的高中教学资源和课堂活动。这项职业研究的研究结果将通过与德克萨斯州SEA Grant代理商，专家和沟通者的全州网络合作，将其综合并传达给代表性不足的社区。该项目将在墨西哥湾建立一个首先的事件图书馆和时间序列，该项目将为广泛的科学界为未来的HOC研究提供稳固的基础。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来支持的。