Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Characterization Of The Distribution, Abundance, And Fate Of Metals In Sediment, April Grant

Theses and Dissertations

This research describes the mobility of heavy metals in river sediment through characterization of metal-sediment association by a sequential extraction procedure. The most abundant isotopes of As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in four sediment extraction phases: a) exchangeable, b) carbonate-bound, c) metal-oxide-bound, and d) organic-bound. The measured concentrations were compared to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' "Sediment Quality Guidelines" to determine whether the metals were present at toxic levels. Two reference techniques, Potentiometric Stripping Analysis and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, were used to validate the concentrations of metals …

High-Throughput Approaches For The Assessment Of Factors Influencing Bioavailability Of Small Molecules In Pre-Clinical Drug Development, Megan Marie Mccallum

Theses and Dissertations

A bioactive molecule must pass many hurdles to be designated as a "good" pharmaceutical lead or hit compound. It should have a significant activity, selectivity, bioavailability, and metabolic half-life. Many factors have been identified that influence the free drug concentration or bioavailability of orally administered drugs in the earliest development stages. In vitro pre-clinical assays have been developed to measure these parameters. The small molecule properties that are investigated here include aqueous solubility, permeability, reactivity (electrophilicity), small molecule-protein binding, and displacement of protein-bound molecules (drug-drug interactions). The development of rapid and miniaturized assays to quantify these factors is presented herein. …

Anion Effects In The Extraction Of Metal Ions Into Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids (Rtils), Sarah Lynn Garvey

Theses and Dissertations

As part of a broader program directed at the development of improved approaches to the removal of actinides and heat-producing fission products from spent nuclear fuel, the fundamental aspects of the partitioning of selected metal ions between aqueous solution and various room-temperature ionic liquids (ILs) containing a neutral extractant have been investigated.

Prior work has shown that in contrast to the partitioning of alkaline earth cations into conventional solvents in the presence of a crown ether, which is known to proceed via a single pathway (i.e., neutral complex extraction), their extraction into an IL is often a complex, multi-path process …