MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution Mass Spectrometer, Liquid Chromatography System to Support Research and Teaching within the Sciences

This award is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation programs. Northern Kentucky University is acquiring a benchtop high performance quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with a high pressure liquid chromatograph and a nitrogen generator to support Professor Molly Hopper and colleagues Patrick Hare and Christine Curran.

In general, mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the key analytical methods used to identify and characterize small quantities of chemical species in complex samples. An instrument with a liquid chromatograph provides additional structural identification power by separating mixtures of compounds before they reach the mass spectrometer. The acquisition strengthens the research infrastructure at the university and regional area.

The instrument broadens participation by involving diverse students with this modern analytical technique. It is also used by collaborators from nearby institutions.

The award of the quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. It is especially useful for identification of metabolites after crop exposure to environmental stressors and for monitoring the metabolomic impact of gut microbiome changes following activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) following benzo[a]pyrene exposure from coal tar, tobacco smoke and many foods, especially grilled meats.

The instrumentation is also used for understanding the photophysics and photochemistry of estrogens and their photodegradation products and the type of compounds formed during cyclization prior to the preparation of analytically pure compounds used for characterization in phenylethynylene- and annulene-oxacalixarene. The instrument also serves researchers carrying out hybrids synthesis and those synthesizing diarylheptanoid analogues to obtain a selective microsomal prostaglanding E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) enzyme inhibitor with low nanomolar potency in vitro.

The instrumentation is also used for studying palladium-catalyzed direct alpha-C(sp3-hybridized)-heteroarylation of carbonyl compounds for use in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and chemical industries.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.