An interdisciplinary group of chemistry, biology and geology faculty at Hampshire College will use recent advances in analytical and separation chemistry to study a varied yet unified group of problems, centering on the chemical analysis of natural and anthropogenic materials. Because of its unique interdisciplinary structure and strong history of involving students in research, Hampshire College's School of Natural Science is in a strong position to take advantage of new technologies for interdisciplinary research as well as for research training. For example, in order to track the path of trace elements such as zinc into teeth and understand nutritional stress, a biological anthropologist, geologist and chemist will collaborate in chemical analysis of the degree to which nutrient elements in dietary sources predict the concentrations of these elements in teeth. A chemist, an ecologist and a geologist will follow the different species of aluminum in a local pond. The interdisciplinary focus of research and research training at Hampshire College argue strongly for a widely accessible, flexible chemical analysis laboratory. Funds are requested for purchase and update of the equipment listed below that will enable analysis of heavy metals, light metals, and organic compounds: 1) An Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). Along with an existing AA, an ICP-MS will provide increased sensitivity and multi-element capabilities in the quantitative analysis of trace metal concentrations in diverse biological and environmental materials. 2) A High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system, to replace an old system, for quantitative analysis of biological and environmental systems for organic compounds and for the separation of biological compounds of interest to physiologists and ecologists. 3) A Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR), to replace older units, along with instrumentation already available (NMR, GC-MS) will enable qualitative, and in some cases quantitative, structural information for chemical species isolated by HPLC. 4) A Flow-Injection Analyzer (FIA) will allow on-line analysis of water-soluble compounds such as nutrients, rapidly analyzing for multiple nutrients in numerous samples. 5) A Gas Chromatograph/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (GC/IR-MS) will aid in separation, isolation and identification of organic compounds; the IR capability will enable stable-isotope studies on animals in vivo. 6) Auxiliary equipment for sample preparation and data manipulation include a microwave digester and other sample preparation equipment and computers to control experiments and for data analysis. Chemical analysis is an interdisciplinary meeting ground, central to both faculty and student research in biology and the environment. The following project areas form one coherent focus of research in interdisciplinary chemical applications: 1) development of analytical techniques for characterization of metal species (applied to problems in aqueous environmental problems), 2) remineralization of nutrients from the benthos of Waquoit Bay, a Land Margin Ecosystem Research site, 3) volcanic geochemistry (magma mixing in the origin of granitic rocks), 4) plant-insect chemical ecology (studies of plant chemicals produced as deterrents to insect feeding), 5) analysis of nutrient elements in teeth in relation to known diet and 6) nutritional biochemistry of proteins in ruminants. The new instruments will support faculty and undergraduate research and research training in a variety of settings. Students' research training will be enhanced through use of instrumentation in advanced courses, research-type projects in courses, and senior theses. Increased collaborative faculty research (involving students as well) will improve faculty productivity.
