With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) and support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Viktor Nemykin from University of Minnesota Duluth and colleagues Steven Berry, Venkatram Mereddy and Viktor Zhdankin will acquire a microTOFMS with electrospray inionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and atmospheric-pressure photoionization (APPI) capabilities. In general, mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the key analytical methods used to identify and characterize small quantities of chemical species embedded in complex matrices. In a typical experiment, the components flow into a mass spectrometer where they are ionized into the parent ion and its fragment ions and their masses are measured. This highly sensitive technique allows detection and determination of the structure of molecules in a complex mixture. As a primarily undergraduate institution, the faculty at the University of Minnesota Duluth embraces undergraduate research experiences as one of the most important outcomes of their research activities. The proposed instrument will directly impact the research experiences of a large number of undergraduate and master students within the three-year project period, and many more in years to come. The instrument will be used in classroom and research activities.
The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) determining structure, stability, and reactivity of small organic, inorganic, and organometallic synthetic molecules; and (b) investigating potentially bioactive compounds prepared using organic synthesis approaches.
