Yuan, Fasong (f.yuan06@csuohio.edu) Cleveland State University
The grant supports acquisition of a liquid water isotope analyzer, a high-tech product using a fourth-generation cavity ringdown spectroscopy technology, with capability of simultaneously measuring oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios for natural waters such as snow, rainfall, stream water, groundwater, and lake water. The instrument consists of a liquid water isotope analyzer, an autoinjector, and auxiliary supplies. The PI will use this instrument for research and training in earth and environmental sciences. Specific research projects include 1) monitoring water and nutrient flows in the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries, 2) deffentiating different source waters (snowmelt, monsoonal runoff, and groundwater) in the Pecos River, 3) collecting delta18O and deltaD data of surface waters in the San Luis Valley, and 4) investigating isotopic enrichment in lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. The instrument not only helps PI improve and increase research activities but also enhances the teaching capability for existing Earth and Environmental Science Program at Cleveland State University (CSU). The instrument will support student research training through a joint-teaching program at CSU and University of Akron (UA).
The liquid water isotope analyzer to measure oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios of natural waters simultaneously, with the capacity of running 120 samples per day. This instrument will support PI's collaborative research efforts to tackle several important environmental problems, including climate change, cultural eutrophication, and water and ecosystem sustainability at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The instrument will also help enhance the teaching capability for existing Earth and Environmental Science Program at Cleveland State University at undergraduate and graduate levels. The instrument will be used to support student research training through a joint-teaching program at CSU and University of Akron (UA).
We acquired the isotope analyzer from Picarro, Inc. (California), in December 2011 and installed in January 2012. We carried out an extensive test on this instrument, using a variety of waters, including snowmelt, rain water, stream water, lake water, and bottled waters from various sources. The main outcome of this award is that we established a water isotope laboratory, with the capacity of measuring oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions (δ18O and δ2H) of water at a rate of 1 sample per hour (if 6 injections per sample are applied). This increases our capability of teaching and research at Cleveland State University. So far, 1) this instrument has been used to support an undergraduate student for his capstone course work. He was able to run the instrument and carried out some field and lab-based studies on a local watershed. Part of his work has been presented in a regional conference. 2) This instrument has also been used by a graduate student for his MS thesis work since summer 2012. He will complete his study in the spring. 3) This analyzer has been used by four undergraduates who conducted a summer research project that was funded by the Cleveland State University. 4) This lab supports teaching and training undergraduate and graduate students as part of environmental geochemistry curriculum. Lastly, 5) we have recently recruited a new graduate who will use this instrument to an isotope-based study on lakes in northeastern Ohio.
