MRI: Acquisition of gas chromatographic instrumentation for research and advanced training in the analysis of new and emerging chemicals of concern and legacy pollutants

Suny College At Fredonia, Fredonia NY

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal: 0722861 PI: Michael S Milligan Institution: SUNY College at Fredonia Title: MRI: Acquisition of gas chromatographic instrumentation for research and advanced training in the analysis of new and emerging chemicals of concern and legacy pollutants This work augments a cross-campus collaboration at two primarily undergraduate institutions, the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia and SUNY at Oswego. The Principal Investigator at SUNY Fredonia (Michael S. Milligan, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) and the Co-Principal Investigator at SUNY Oswego (James J. Pagano, Department of Chemistry and the Environmental Research Center) have successfully collaborated in numerous funded and non-funded research projects over the past ten years that have led to many student co-authored publications and conference abstracts. Both the PI and the Co-PI supervise modern analytical laboratories dedicated to sample extraction, clean-up, and analysis of organic contaminants. Through the acquisition of three gas chromatographs: one with updated and modernized mass selective detection (including electron impact, positive ion chemical ionization, and negative ion chemical ionization sources) and two with electron capture detection capabilities, the PI and Co-PI will further enhance their expertise in the analysis of new and emerging chemical compounds of concern, endocrine system disrupting compounds such as chlorinated dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and co-planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and legacy pollutants such as PCBs, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine pesticides found in atmospheric samples, Great Lakes fish, and other environmental media. The intellectual merit of this project involves the development, advancement, and refinement of trace analytical techniques used for the detection and quantification of organic contaminants. These types of analytical challenges often demand sub-picogram and sub-part per billion (ppb) detection limits, and require sophisticated instrumentation for success. The PI and Co-PI each have over seventeen years of experience in the analysis of the organic species listed above, and are well qualified to advance this field of discovery. These chemical compounds have been designated as persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs), and are believed to possess toxicological properties that are of significant concern to humans and other animal species. Many of these PBTs are hypothesized to be endocrine system disrupting compounds, whose hormonemimicking effects can be manifested at alarmingly low concentrations. Other PBTs are likely present in the environment, but have yet to be identified. Accordingly, developing and perfecting modern analytical techniques to detect, identify, and measure the concentrations of these target compounds at such demanding levels in media such as air and fish tissue is of great importance. The broader impacts of this project will serve to promote fundamental research and discovery, cross-campus collaborations, improvement of laboratory technology, education of university students, and training of aspiring scientists. Undergraduate and master's level research students will gain valuable field, laboratory, analytical, and interpretive experience while working under the supervision of the PI and Co-PI, leading to post-graduate positions in industry, governmental laboratories, and graduate school. These students will be exposed to state-of-the-art analytical techniques required for trace analytical procedures, and they will take the skills and lessons learned from these experiences with them as they advance in their careers. Students will prepare and present results at scientific conferences. Improved laboratory facilities for the PI and Co-PI will attract many prospective students for the future years, and allow these laboratories to remain competitive in pursuits for extramural funding.