The requested instrumentation, Gas Chromatograph Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer with an Electron Capture Detector, dual injection ports, and dual columns, will function as an interdisciplinary Ecotoxicological and Environmental Analytical Laboratory at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro Campus. This laboratory will support research activities and teaching in the areas of ecotoxicology, environmental and analytical chemistry, biology, soil science, biogeochemistry, and wildlife ecology. The focus of this laboratory will be the identification and quantification of organic constituents in environmental media and will complement the inorganic environmental analytical capabilities currently at ASU-Jonesboro. Initially, the instrumentation will be used in seven cross-disciplinary research projects, and will play an important role in acquiring nationally competitive funding for several multi-scale projects in the near future.
Outcomes from this grant include, but are not limited to, the following accomplishments. 1. Interdisciplinary research - Graduate and undergraduate students and faculty researchers from biology, chemistry and agriculture are presently working together utilizing the equipment purchased with this grant. 2. Projects using the GCMS include detection and measurement of fatty acid from bats, measurement of persistent organic pollutants in bird adipose tissue, detection of pesticides in the Cache River, Arkansas, and detection of pesticides in the Little River Ditches Watershed, Arkansas (EPA 319 project 11-2000S) 3. Projects using the Graphite Furnace AA include the measurement of Cd in algae, Ceriodaphnia dubia (water flea), and fish tissue to determine food chain transfer of the nanoparticle, Quantum Dots. Other projects using this instrument include the detection of lead and copper in wetlands of the Cache River Watershed (EPA grant #CD-00F353-01-0 FY2010), determination of lead from headwater streams in the Cache River Watershed as part of undergraduate learning experience (NSF ELF grant# 1060209), measurement of lead from the lower Cache River Watershed (EPA 319 project 11-1600) and the Middle Cache River Watershed (EPA 319 project 13-500), and heavy metal detection on amphibian blood. 4. Use of the Dionex ASE 350 includes elution of Cd from algae, Ceriodaphnia dubia and fish tissues for detection of Qdot transfer. Many additional projects are planned including elution of rice fort he detection of arsenic, processing fish tissue for heavy metals below a superfund site in the Wolf River, Tennessee, further processing of bird fat for detection of heavy metals, and processing of amphibian blood for heavy metal detection. 5. Teaching: The graduate class "Aquatic Ecotoxicology" (Spring 2013) was divided into 2 groups and given unknowns with a background summary to accompany each unknown. They were to determine the aquatic toxicity and identify the contaminant in each unknown. One group used the GCMS to determine their unknown (DDT) and the other used the GFAA to measure zinc in their unknow. This exercise with graduate students was a hands-on teaching experience that stimulated an inquiry-based learning experience. The use of the GFAA to determine the lead levels in the Cache River Watershed (NSF ELF gran# 1060209) is currently allowing undergraduate researchers the opportunity to experience using the instrument as part of their overall project. Numerous undergraduate and graduate class tours have been held to introduce the instrumentation and allow the students to see what was available for their research. The classes include Principles of Ecology (apprx 60 students/year), Research Methods and Design (approx 35 students/year), and Case Studies in Ecosystem Design (approx 20 students/year). The instrumentation has lead to an increase in teaching and collaborative research at ASU.
