STLO acquires nuclear magnetic resonance equipment

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) exploits the property of certain atomic nuclei to react to magnetic fields. In simple terms, the natural “vibration” of the nucleus is constrained by a magnetic field and then released: as it returns to its equilibrium vibration, the nucleus emits an electromagnetic wave characteristic of its element (hydrogen, carbon, etc.) and the bonds it forms with neighboring atoms in a molecule (C-C, C=C, C-H, etc.). The device records the different waves produced by each type of reactive nucleus and translates this information into a spectrum that can be used to reconstruct the spatial interactions between the nuclei. Until recently, this technique was unfortunately very expensive and required a high level of expertise in high-intensity magnetic fields.

The new generation of benchtop NMR equipment is distinguished by its excellent spectral resolution, close to that observed at high fields, which allows for the simultaneous quantification of different chemical species in a mixture. This type of spectrometer, which is transportable and requires no cryogenic fluid or special maintenance, is particularly well suited to the online monitoring of (bio)chemical reactions.

What will this NMR device be used for in STLO activities?

There are many potential applications.

• The Processes-Structures-Functionalities (PSF) team will use it, for example, to study in detail various physicochemical reactions such as non-enzymatic browning or diffusion during the processing of dairy matrices.
• The Bioactivity & Nutrition (BN) team will use it to further its study of digestion and nutrient release by monitoring in vitro digestion processes in real time, offering a faster and less polluting alternative to traditional biochemical analyses.

Financial support

This equipment was funded by Institut Agro Rennes-Angers and Rennes Métropole through its scientific equipment acquisition support scheme.

Contact

Jeehyun Lee <jeehyun.lee@institut-agro.fr>

Steven Le Feunteun  steven.le-feunteun@inrae.fr