Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This proposal is to purchase a system for the preparation of fragile biological samples for the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) facility at ISMER-UQAR. The equipments consist of a critical point dryer and a sputter coater systems. These equipments will be used to prepare fragile biological samples and facilitate observations under the SEM. The samples that will be prepared include dinoflagellate cysts and thecae, diatom frustules, bacterial preparations and nanoparticles collected from seawater. It can also be used in a number of other non-biological applications. The critical point dryer will be used, together with acetone and liquid CO2, for dehydrating delicate samples and allowing them to keep their original shape for proper observation under the SEM. The sputter coater system will be used to cover non-conductive biological and non-biological samples with a thin film of either gold or carbon. This will protect the specimens from overheating when observed at high magnification, and enhance the emission of secondary electrons, which will substantially improve the quality of images and allow to maximize the performance of the EDX detector (X-Ray analysis) that is installed on the SEM. Such equipments are presently not available in the Bas St-Laurent region. They will be used in the course of several research projects conducted in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence system, as well as in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. They will be used by a number of MSc (9), PhD (7) and research professionals/technicians (4).