Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Women In Stem Conference, Maryann Rettig, Sara E. Hubbard Ph.D

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Analysis of BPA Leaching from Feminine Hygiene Products into Simulated Vaginal Fluid using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry

Maryann Rettig and Sara E. Hubbard, Ph.D.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical compound commonly used to produce several plastics and epoxy resins. Recently, BPA has also been detected in feminine hygiene products. Because of a structural resemblance to estradiol, BPA can act as an endocrine disruptor, which has linked BPA to several health complications such as cancer development, reduced fertility, and early puberty. In recent summer research at Ouachita Baptist University, it was determined that fluorescence spectrophotometry could be used to monitor BPA leaching over …

New Ways To Improve Dispersibility Of Nanotubes: Approaching From The Formation Of Silicon Nanoparticles By High Energy Reactive Ball Milling (Herbm) In Polar Solvents, Julie P. Vanegas, Yolanda V. Gutierrez, Joaquin Rivera, Juan García Jr.

Research Symposium

Background: This research aims to synthesize stable silicon nanoparticles using different molar ratios of N-Cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone (CHP) and Silicon to demonstrate if there is any significance towards the production of effective nanotubes. To determine this, the synthesized nanoparticles will be characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV visible absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL).

Methods: 50 Mg of silicon wafer are added with differing ratios of ligand (CHP), 5mL of water, and 3 steel iron balls into a ball milling vial. Vials are then placed into a ball milling apparatus for 7 cycles or 3.5 hours. Once the cycles are complete, …

Determining The Ideal Concentrations Of Ethanol And Propylene Glycol In Ethosomes For Transdermal Delivery Of Vitamin D3, Rebecca Conner

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Vitamin D₃ is an important chemical in the human body, however, many Americans have low levels of this vitamin. There are plenty of oral supplementations for Vitamin D₃ deficiency, but those of older age and busy schedules may struggle to meet the minimum requirement. A recently developed ethosomal transmembrane delivery system (Touitou, 2000), similar to liposomes but also containing ethanol, allows users to apply a gel dermally and have the desired drug or active ingredient reach the bloodstream faster. However, there is considerable variation in the concentration of ethanol and permeation enhancers used. Using an affordable method to …

Survey Of The Performance Of 5 Nm Gold Nanoparticles Within An Ssdna-Stabilized Biosensor For The Detection Of Hg2+, Madalyn Zagajowski

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The formation of a fluorescent biosensor complex consisting of 5 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was conducted using a low-cost, efficient binding method. Furthermore, we assessed the analytical potential for the complex to detect mercury ions (Hg²⁺) in an aqueous solution upon collection of UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometry data for the AuNP-ssDNA complex. We aimed to investigate this potential due to the possibility that the nanoparticles formed utilizing this method would produce nanoparticles of too small a size to result in detectable fluorescence, thus the complex synthesized from this specific method was qualitatively evaluated …

Quantitation Of Female Newt Tetrodotoxin Concentrations And Their Impact In The Newt-Garter Snake Evolutionary Arms Race, Anna Frey, David Green Dr., Lee Kats Dr., Gary Bucciarelli Dr.

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

As this work is not yet published, the authors have requested the removal of the abstract.

Investigation Of Unexpected Purple Substance Extracted From Newsprint Paper [Poster], Raquel Wilhelm, Shoshanna Coon, Kirk Manfredi

Research in the Capitol

In an attempt to extract a green dye from newsprint advertisements, it was serendipitously discovered that a purple substance can be extracted from newsprint paper using methanol or acetic acid. Further investigations involving blank newsprint paper showed that the purple substance was a part of the paper itself rather than a component of the ink in the advertisements. Soxhlet extraction was used on the blank newspaper print to obtain the compound. Using different analytical instruments, characteristics of the compound can be determined such as the elemental composition, molar mass, and structure. The ultimate goal is to determine the compound and …

Development Of An Lcms Method To Detect And Quantify Curcumin In A Novel Oral Formulation Of Turmeric, Brandon Renninger

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Contact Angle & Electrochemical Measurements Of Metallic Atmospheric Corrosion On Copper And Carbon Steel, Jacob J.M. Bunting, Jiju M. Joseph, Heng-Yong Nie, Samantha M. Gateman

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Understanding atmospheric corrosion has been incredibly challenging due to the complex interplay between surface microstructures, environmental variables, and electrochemical processes. The methodology presented is being developed to apply to atmospheric corrosion models of metals and other advanced materials by observing the change in contact angle in situ as a function of corrosion parameters. Performed contact angle measurements on two industrially relevant metals (copper and carbon steel) over a 1 min to 30-day time span to track the change in wettability due to the formation of an air-formed oxide layer (aged) as a function of surface roughness.

Simple And Fast Fabrication Methodology For Platinum And Carbon Ultramicroelectrodes (Ume) In Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (Secm), Emma Mae Lord, Jiju Joseph, Samantha M. Gateman, Zhifeng Ding

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a highly versatile method for measuring and imaging a wide range of systems. When paired with an intricately made ultramicroelectrode (UME) probe, SECM becomes an even more powerful tool for imaging microscale features in a system. However, purchasing these UME’s comes at a high cost with less ability for modification. Having high quality UME’s expands the ability of SECM and enables precise measuring and imaging in a wide range of applications such as solar cells in Dr. Ding’s lab, and corroding metals in Dr. Gateman’s lab. To combat this issue of high cost and set …

Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Analysis Of Native American Pottery For Maple Syrup Residue [Poster], Alexis Wirtz, Joshua Sebree Ph.D., Donald Gaff Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The research conducted regards whether or not Native Americans understood how to create maple syrup before the influence of Europeans. Through the usage of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), the identity of different maple syrup organic residues within pottery can be determined.¹ These organic residues tell us more about Native American history and culture. An analysis of organic residues was performed on the following types of pottery: proof of concept and weathered (an analog of the proof of concept). Organic residues were able to be identified within the proof of concept but not in the weathered pottery. This research also …

X-Ray Crystallographic Analysis Of Quinoline N-Oxide And Isoquinoline N-Oxide With Zinc Halides, Nitrates, Perchlorates., Erin N. Groneck

GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium

We have worked to analyze the chemistry between aromatic N-oxides, Quinoline N-oxide and Isoquinoline N-oxide, with zinc halides, nitrates, and perchlorates by X-ray crystallography. These structures were formed by reaction of the aromatic N-oxides with an equivalent of the zinc halide, nitrate, or perchlorate. These N-oxides had been chosen due to being the focus of this study. We will present the crystallographic X-ray structures of the synthesized novel complexes of the N-oxides with either a zinc halide, zinc nitrate, and zinc perchlorate.

Temporal Changes And Possible Sources Of Dissolved Calcium Levels In Stream, River, And Lake Waters In Western Kentucky, Kelsie Meystedt

Scholars Week

ABSTRACT

Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an exotic and invasive mollusk that spread extensively over various rivers and lakes in the United States. These mussels are known for being notorious in their “biofouling” capabilities, costing the U.S. government billions of dollars in removal operations. Recently, zebra mussel colonies were found in Kentucky Lake possibly due to human activities increasing the salinity of today’s freshwater resources. The increase in salinity from human activities may have adversely affected the ecosystems and water supplies. The Specific aim of this study was to determine the temporal trend of dissolved calcium in Kentucky Lake …

Combination Chemo-Pdt Ionic Nanomedicines As Enhanced Therapeutics For Cancer, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Cancer remains as one of the leading causes of death in humans worldwide. Nanotechnology has made great strides in improving treatment for the disease. This work describes a simplistic approach to design self-assembled combination nanomedicines. A facile one-step ion exchange reaction is utilized to combine a chemotherapeutic (phosphonium) cation and photodynamic therapeutic (porphyrin) anion. An aqueous nanomedicine is prepared from the hydrophobic ionic combination drug via a single-step reprecipitation method. Upon conversion to ionic combination drug, improved photophysical properties of porphyrin were observed. These characteristics subsequently led to increased photodynamic therapeutic activity of nanomedicines—explained by greater singlet oxygen quantum yield. …

Surface Area Enhancement Of Doped Carbon Materials Via Novel Freeze-Pore Methodology, Iris Denmark

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Supercapacitors are one of today’s growing means of alternative energy. They are portable, produce much higher capacitance than traditional capacitors, and operate under lower voltages than that of batteries. Herein, we have synthesized a series of supercapacitor materials from sodium lignosulfonate, otherwise known as lignosol, which are co-doped with phosphorus and nitrogen. The materials are synthesized utilizing a green and time-efficient microwave irradiation process. Subsequently, these materials have been optimized by utilizing a novel process by which surface area and electrochemical properties is enhanced by freezing of their porous surface. Materials undergoing this method have shown significant increase in BET …

Wastewater-Based Estimation Of Substances Discharged At The Rest Areas Along The State Highways In Kentucky, Katherine E. Gray, Eugene Shin, Tyler Whitt, Andrew Windhorst, Houston Hampton, Chris Delcher, Bikram Subedi

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The availability of licit and illicit stimulants and its adverse consequences on public health has emerged as a major drug threat to communities in the United States. Despite several drug-involved traffic incidents along the interstate highways, this report represents the first comprehensive and quantitative report of drugs discharged at the rest areas along the interstate highways. In this National Institute of Justice-funded study, the amount of several discharged drugs focusing on stimulants but also including opioids and prescription antipsychotics are being measured in raw wastewater collected from five rest areas and a truck servicing facility using a state-of-the-art mass …

Corrosion Prevention On Aluminum Alloy, Andrea Brenner

Symposium of Student Scholars

Aluminum alloy (Al-alloy) is a widely used metal in construction, aerospace, aviation, and other necessary fields due to its lightweight and tweakable properties. However, corrosion is inevitable on metals and alloys, and that causes millions of dollars of revenue loss every year. Therefore, we propose to research fabricating coating to prevent corrosion on Al-alloy. This study uses an iron-based metal-organic framework (MOF) and polyurethane (PU) based composite coating to prevent corrosion on the Al-alloy. The makeup of the composite material is changed by varying the percentage of MOF. In addition, a binder is also used to enhance the homogenization between …

Impact Of The Water Content In The Therapeutic Deep Eutectic Solvents, Noam Lewit, James Stewart, Oluseyi Olawuyi, Mohammed A. Halim

Symposium of Student Scholars

Deep eutectic solvent(s) (DES) are the new generation of greener and more sustainable solvents, formulated by the complex of hydrogen bond in the molecules. The solvents allow us to achieve a significantly lower freezing point compared to its components, an affordable formulation and a technology that is typically formulated to improve the bioavailability of a drug. In this research project, we synthesized an ibuprofen-menthol based therapeutic deep eutectic solvent and investigated how water content affects the structure and dynamics of the solvent. For synthesizing the ibuprofen-menthol DES, 2.0629 g of Ibuprofen and 4.6881 g of menthol were placed in a …

Analysis Of Kavalactones In Various Consumptive Kava Samples Using Gc-Ms, Stephanie O'Kon

Symposium of Student Scholars

Piper Methysticum, or Kava, is a plant native to the Pacific Islands and is used in various ceremonial and cultural aspects. In the United States, Kava has many dietary forms from sleep aids to mood boosters. The active ingredients found in Kava roots, kavalactones, give users psychoactive effects. However, there are concerns regarding toxicity and unknown safety consumption limits. There are six major kavalactones, and possibly more that have been reported, but not fully researched. The one of interest in this study is kavain. Different solvents, diethyl ether and acetone, have been used in extracting kavalactones from cut kava root. …

Lithium Dubbed Cspbbr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals, Siena Idoine

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

The Reactivity Of Metal Phosphites: Oxidative Rate Analysis, Jamie Kitchens

Symposium of Student Scholars

Phosphorous compounds are involved in many of the biomolecular processes deemed fundamental for life. DNA, ATP, and phospholipids are a few of the molecules where phosphates can be found in the body. Phosphates are geochemically characterized by their low solubility and poor reactivity. This has led to the investigation of reaction mechanisms that could lead to the formation of the phosphorous compounds found in organisms. The oxidation of phosphite into phosphate could be how phosphates were introduced to life, due to phosphites being more soluble and more reactive than phosphates. We will present the synthesis and oxidation reactivity of four …

Electrochemical And Spectroscopic Characterization Of Cerium Salts And Nanoceria Material, Emily Velarde, Wei Zhou

Symposium of Student Scholars

The nanoscale form of cerium oxide, nanoceria (nano-CeO_x), has drawn great attention in recent years in electrochemical, nanomaterial research and medicinal studies due to its antibacterial properties, UV absorption, and its biochemical function as possible radical scavenger. Many new synthesis methods have achieved uniform and biocompatible nanoceria particles, and our lab has created cerium oxide particles that shows UV/Vis. absorption and X-ray patterns similar to the commercial nanoceria and nanoceria made in other research laboratories with novel synthetic methods.

This study focuses on charactering and comparing electrochemical properties of cerium inorganic salts and synthesized nanoceria. Preliminary results …

Bioanalytical Determination Of Glucose Concentration In Sports Drinks Using Uv/Vis Spectroscopy, Laney Hedgeman, Brianna Bond

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

The purpose of our project is to indirectly monitor the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase as it reacts with the glucose present in sports drinks through the quantitative analysis of the generated ferricyanide. As glucose oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of beta-D-glucose in the presence of oxygen, D-glucono-1,5-lactone is produced along with hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide is used in a subsequent reaction with ferrocyanide catalyzed by horse radish peroxidase to produce water and the chromophore ferricyanide. This compound absorbs in the ultraviolet/visible spectrum at 420 nm, which can be quickly measured using Ultraviolet/Visible Spectroscopy. Since the molar ratio of …

Experimental And Theoretical Investigation Of Regioselectivity For A Series Of Ketoimines With Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Density Functional Theory, Amanda Stahl, Joseph M. Fritsch, Kelsey R. Brereton

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

A series of ketoimines bearing pendant quinolyl substituents were prepared by Schiff base condensation of 1,3-diketones with two different substituents: trifluoromethyl and an alkyl/aryl group (e.g., Me, Et, ⁱPr,^tBu, Ph. Synthetic reactions of ketoimines with varying alkyl/aryl substituents altered the distribution of regioisomers as measured in isolated yields and detected by ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy of crude reaction mixtures. Reaction with the least sterically encumbered diketone (CF₃with Me) resulted in mixture of ketoimines with virtually quantitative formation of the ketoimine resulting from quinolyl addition to the carbonyl adjacent to the alkyl substituent. …

Development Of A Rapid Drug Detection Method For Insects Using Paper Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Psi-Ms), Alexandria Plyler

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

Insects have the ability to reflect the chemical environment that they have developed in. Thus, necrogenous insects can reflect the chemical environment of cadavers they have fed on. Forensic scientists can potentially utilize insect larvae as an alternate biological matrix to detect drugs in cadavers that are skeletonized, burned, or otherwise badly damaged. Analysis of insects using paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS), an analytical method requiring little to no sample preparation, could prove a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive alternative form of toxicological analysis. Traditional tissue analysis via GC and LC-MS often require lengthy sample preparation, use expensive reagents, and …

Determination Of Atrazine In Glacier Creek Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Spencer Witte

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Atrazine is a commonly used herbicide in agriculture that has been shown to cause adverse health-effects on biological organisms. Glacier Creek Preserve (GCP), a prairie preserve near Omaha, NE, contains restored prairie and agricultural land uses within a single watershed. Surface water samples were collected at various locations of GCP from May to July to quantify atrazine concentrations. Sample preparation included filtering with a 0.45 micron filter and solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a reversed-phase cartridge. The analyte was eluted off the cartridge with ethyl acetate and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Quantitation was performed with an internal standard calibration …

Carrier-Free Chemo-Ptt/Pdt Ionic Nanomaterials For Combination Cancer Therapy, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Herein, we describe a carrier-free combination nanodrug for treatment of cancer. In this work, we combined a photothermal compound and a chemotherapeutic drug using ionic liquid chemistry. We utilized a facile, one-step metathesis approach to replace the counter cation of a near infra-red (NIR) dye (photothermal agent) with a chemotherapeutic cation to synthesize an ionic material-based combination cancer therapy drug to deliver multiple mechanisms simultaneously. The nanodrugs were developed by using a reprecipitation method. The detailed photophysical properties of this new combination therapy molecule was investigated in ethanol solution as well as in nanoparticles forms in aqueous media. The singlet …

Analysis Of Petroleum Products For Forensic And Environmental Applications, Sarah Ghali, Sarah Porter

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In both forensic and environmental applications, it is often important to identify ignitable liquid (IL) residues, to find a suspect or to clean up an oil spill. The ASTM method is commonly used; the extraction methods vary, but the data collection is the same. The instrument used in the ASTM method is gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), which allows a visual identification of the IL contaminating the sample. In this study, the use of Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) was used in conjunction with chemometric analysis. Samples were prepared were to simulate an oil spill in natural waters. Two chemometric …

Analysis Of Phenolic Compounds In Moroccan Olive Oils By Hplc, Hannah Meyls, Sarah Porter

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Five extra virgin olive oils collected from farms in Morocco were analyzed for phenolic compounds. To complement these data, the chemical composition of the olive oils were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Several phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the olive oils. Specifically, levels of oleuropein and luteolin were quantified in the low mg/kg range, and qualitative comparisons were made between the oil samples for tyrosol, vanillic acid, and apigenin. To compare extraction efficiency of different extraction solvents, methanol and DMF were used.

Computational Chemistry - Ulk 101, Michaela Montpas

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Autophagy is a process that generates the necessary building components for cells by cytoplasmic breakdown of unnecessary materials (Martin, Celano, Solitro, Gunaydin, Scott, et. al., 2018). This is a survival technique for cells in times of stress, especially during periods of nutrient starvation. Cancer cells, unfortunately, benefit from this process due to their ability to flourish in nutrient-starved environments, becoming resistant to therapy. The primary protein in mammals responsible for this process is a serine/threonine kinase called ULK 1 (unc-51 like autophagy initiating kinase 1). As such, inhibitors of ULK 1 can be used in cancer therapies in order to …

Quantification Of Vitamin B12 In Two Cricket Species, Haley Smeltz

Student Scholar Showcase

Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, has been practiced in the eastern world for centuries, however it is currently overlooked in the western nations. Studies have shown that insects, such as crickets, contain high levels of protein and minerals, however vitamin content is rarely studied. This study aims to quantify the vitamin B₁₂ content in two cricket species, the common house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and the banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). The vitamin B₁₂ content of both cricket species will be quantified using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Prior to RP-HPLC analysis, all the …