Chemistry Commons^™

Comparisons Of Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Methods By Microwave And Non-Microwave Using Hydrogen Gas As A Reducing Agent, Sofia Erech Hanapin

Honors Theses

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles are of current interest. This research project describes a simple and rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles upon reduction of Silver (I) oxide (Ag2O) by molecular hydrogen (H2) at elevated temperature (70 – 100 °C) and a pressure of > 1 atmosphere by heating the aqueous mixture using a common kitchen microwave. This reaction generates naked silver colloids that contain no foreign stabilizers other than metal particles in aqueous media. Its application of an antibacterial effect was monitored by using biological cultures using the Kirby-Bauer Test.

Thermodynamic Analysis Of Pamam Dendrimer Synthesis, Ryutaro Einar Jacobson

Honors Theses

The objective of this research was to determine kinetic and thermodynamic data about the reaction between ethylene diamine and methyl acrylate which is used in the production of PAMAM dendrimers. Establishing a rate law and finding values such as rate constant, activation energy, and Arrhenius coefficient will help in determining the best possible conditions for the reaction. A rate law was established through the method of initial rates, comparing the rates of reactions with different initial concentrations to one another. Additional reactions were run with active cooling to observe the effects on rate and reaction progress, and finally reactions were …

Finding Optimal Opa-Iblc Derivatized Amino Acid Analysis Parameters With Three-Dimensional Fluorometric Scans For Hplc Method Validation, Aaron Jacobs

Honors Theses

Three-dimensional fluorometric scans of OPA-IBLC derivatized glutamic acid and histidine solutions revealed that decreasing concentration maintained maximum λem but produced different maximum λex. In pH 0.4 M sodium borate buffer (pH 10.4), 50 μM derivatized amino acid solutions had maxima around 350- to 450-nm λex-λem where 12.5 μM solutions had maxima around 230- to 450-nm λex- λem. In the lower concentration, the λex peak at 230 nm was about 80% higher than 350 nm. Thus, collecting spectra with 230 nm λex would provide better LOD and LOQ. Results inform HPLC standard concentrations since differential quenching effects may produce non-linear calibration …

Tulsa - Wb Us64 To Sb Us169

United States Data - Oklahoma

Relevant Publications

Environmental Science & Technology Publication (2006)

Environmental Science & Technology Publication (2008)

Environmental Science & Technology Publication (2014)

Environmental Science & Technology Publication (2015)

Environmental Science & Technology Publication (2021)

2003 Final Report

2013 Final Report

2015 Final Report

2017 Final Report

2019 Final Report

Fort Mchenry Tunnel - 1991

United States Data - Maryland

Relevant Publications

Air & Waste Management Association Publication (1994)

Atmospheric Environment Publication (1996)

Detection Of Gold Cysteine Thiolate Complexes On Gold Nanoparticles With Time-Of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Yolanda Hedberg, Jonas Hedberg, Valentin Romanovski, Elena Romanovskaia, Heng-Yong Nie

Chemistry Publications

Gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in nanomedical applications as a carrier for molecules designed for different functionalities. Previous findings suggested that biological molecules, including amino acids, could contribute to the dissolution of Au NPs in physiological environments and that this phenomenon was size-dependent. We, therefore, investigated the interactions of L-cysteine with 5-nm Au NPs by means of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This was achieved by loading Au NPs on a clean aluminum (Al) foil and immersing it in an aqueous solution containing L-cysteine. Upon rinsing off the excessive cysteine molecules, ToF-SIMS confirmed the formation of gold …

Polymer Particles For The Intra-Articular Delivery Of Drugs To Treat Osteoarthritis, Xueli Mei, Ian J. Villamagna, Tony Nguyen, Frank Beier, C. Thomas Appleton, Elizabeth R. Gillies

Chemistry Publications

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic disability. It is a progressive disease, involving pathological changes to the entire joint, resulting in joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of mobility. There is currently no disease-modifying pharmaceutical treatment for OA, and the treatments that do exist suffer from significant side effects. An increasing understanding of the molecular pathways involved in OA is leading to many potential drug targets. However, both current and new therapies can benefit from a targeted approach that delivers drugs selectively to joints at therapeutic concentrations, while limiting systemic exposure to the drugs. Delivery systems including hydrogels, …

Chapter 2.1: Visualization Of Metal Ion Buffering Via 3-D Topo Surfaces Of Complexometric Titrations, Garon C. Smith, Md Mainul Hossain

Water Topos: A 3-D Trend Surface Approach to Viewing and Teaching Aqueous Equilibrium Chemistry

This chapter examines 1:1 metal-ligand complexometric titrations in aqueous media. It presents surfaces that plot computed equilibrium parameters above a composition grid with titration progress (mL of ligand) as the x-axis and overall system dilution (log C ) as the y-axis. The sample systems in this chapter are restricted to EDTA as a ligand. Other chelating ligands that form exclusively 1:1 complexes could also be modeled with this software. The surfaces show the quality of the equivalence point break under various conditions. More importantly, they develop the phenomenon of metal ion buffering. They clearly distinguish the difference between …

Influence Of Monovalent And Divalent Ions In The Conformational Change Of Caspase-Cleaved Par-4 (Cl-Par-4) Tumor Suppressor Protein, Krishna K. Raut, Komala Ponniah, Steven M. Pascal

College of Sciences Posters

Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) is a pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor protein. We have shown that this 38 kDa full-length Par-4 (Fl-Par-4) protein is predominantly intrinsically disordered in vitro. In vivo, Par-4 is cleaved by caspase-3 at Asp-131 to generate a 24 kDa functionally active cleaved Par-4 (cl-Par-4) fragment. The cl-Par-4 protein inhibits the NF-κB-mediated cell survival pathway and causes selective apoptosis in various tumor cells. Our laboratory is interested in how the disorder-order balance within Fl-Par-4 and cl-Par-4 may be related to the balance between cell survival and cell death. Currently, we are using biophysical techniques such as circular …

Anodic Dissolution Of Copper In The Acidic And Basic Aluminum Chloride 1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquid, Lorlyn Reidy, Chen Wang, Charles L. Hussey

Faculty and Student Publications

The anodic dissolution of copper was investigated at a copper RDE in the Lewis acidic and basic composition regions of the room-temperature AlCl3-EtMeImCl ionic liquid (IL) to assess the utility of chloroaluminate liquids as solvents for the electrochemical machining and electropolishing of copper. In the Lewis acidic IL (60 mol % AlCl3), the dissolution of Cu0 proceeds under mixed kinetic-mass transport control with an exchange current density of 7.00 mA cm-2 at 306 K and an apparent activation free energy of 19.7 kJ mol-1. A formal potential of 0.843 V was obtained for the Cu+/Cu0 reaction from potentiometric measurements. In …

Visible Light Generation And Mechanistic Investigation Of High-Valent Metal-Oxo Species Supported By Different Ligands, Seth Ellis Klaine

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Numerous transition metal catalysts have been designed as biomimetic model compounds for the active site of metalloenzymes found throughout Nature, most notably cytochrome P450 monooxygenases that carry out the oxidative transformations of organic substrates with near-perfect chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivity. The primary active oxidants in catalytic and enzymatic cycles are fleeting high-valent metal-oxo intermediates where the oxo ligand can transfer to an organic substrate in a process known as oxygen atom transfer (OAT).

In the present work, porphyrin-manganese(III), salen-chromium(III), and salenmanganese( III) derivatives were successfully synthesized and spectroscopically characterized using 1H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopies. A facile photochemical approach was …

Synthesis And Catalytic Oxidation Of Organic Substrates By Light-Harvesting Metalloporphyrins, Christian Alcantar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

note: Some notation in this abstract may not appear exactly as formatted in the thesis.

In this work, ruthenium, iron, and manganese light-harvesting metalloporphyrins have been successfully synthesized to serve as biomimetic models of the active site of Cytochrome P450 for the development of a green and efficient oxidation catalyst. The covalent introduction of light-harvesting boron-dipyrrin (BODIPY) fluorophores on the porphyrin macrocycle allows for the absorption of a broader range of visible light in addition to that captured by the porphyrin aromatic system alone. It is expected that this core-antenna system will increase the absorbed light energy and transfer it …

Ph-Sensitive Chitosan Nanoparticles For Salivary Protein Delivery, Yi Zhu, Lina M. Marin, Yizhi Xiao, Elizabeth R. Gillies, Walter L. Siqueira

Chemistry Publications

Salivary proteins such as histatins (HTNs) have demonstrated critical biological functions directly related to tooth homeostasis and prevention of dental caries. However, HTNs are susceptible to the high proteolytic activities in the oral environment. Therefore, pH-sensitive chitosan nanoparti-cles (CNs) have been proposed as potential carriers to protect proteins from enzymatic degradation at physiological salivary pH. Four different types of chitosan polymers were investigated and the optimal formulation had good batch to batch reproducibility, with an average hydrodynamic diame-ter of 144 ± 6 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.15 ± 0.04, and a zeta potential of 18 ± 4 mV at …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, April 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 & 3 Awards & Recognition
Page 4 Student Spotlight: Allsion Bjornstad
Page 5 Research Spotlight: Dr. Vondruska & Students
Page 6 Department Head Interviews
Page 7 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 8 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 9 Student Club Spotlight: BMGSA
Page 10 Then & Now: Urban Geography

A Non-Destructive Analytical Technique Used For Analyzing A Variety Of Glassware Samples In Hopes To Determine Their Elemental Composition Based Off Their Qualitative And Quantitative Data Results., Angela Scarpa

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In this study, XRF analysis was used to examine and identify specific glassware samples, exported from remote locations, in hopes to determine any correlation between the glass samples being tested. During experimentation, there were 41 glass samples and 3 glass standards that were examined and quantitatively analyzed to determine the elemental compositions of all samples. To ensure optimal sensitivity of these different materials, four methods were utilized to confirm accurate data is collected and to improve all quantitative data results. These four methods contain distinct experimental factors and were purposely selected due to their specific current, voltage, filter, time, and …

Chemical Analysis Of An Herbal Opioid, Lauren Johnson

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Different chromatography techniques were used to analyze the concentration of an active component, mitragynine, in kratom samples. The analysis also compared three different extraction methods, one using ultrasonification, the other two using a commercial at home espresso maker. Using gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and high performance liquid chromatography, comparisons between key compounds in the substances were determined and concentrations of mitragynine within the samples were calculated.

Raman Spectroscopy Using A Monolithic Spatial Heterodyne Raman Spectrometer For Planetary Exploration, Abigail M. Waldron

Theses and Dissertations

Raman spectroscopy is a vibrational technique that provides detailed molecular and structural information for organic and inorganic molecules and minerals, and is uniquely suited for spacecraft applications, in the search for chemical indicators of life. This is why NASA sent two Raman spectrometers to Mars on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, as part of the SuperCam and SHERLOC instruments. The Raman spectrometers on Perseverance are conventional dispersive instruments that have been engineered to survive the harsh conditions of spaceflight. Future missions could benefit from smaller, more robust designs, especially missions to the Jovian planets, Jupiter and Saturn, their moons, asteroids …

Cis-Trans Isomerism In Single Molecule Electronic Devices, Tinsae Alem

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

We investigated the switching properties of cis-trans isomers of azobenzene for single molecule electronics. Although the cis-trans isomerization leads to structural changes within the molecule, the current flow is found to depend mainly on the relative position of the electrodes. The on/off ratio was determined to measure the performance of these isomers as switches. Different cis-trans isomers were studied to compare results.

The Analysis Of Heavy Metals In Samples Of Honey Using X-Ray Fluorescence And Anodic Stripping Voltammetry, Mia Arrieta, Kaleigh Beale

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

A daunting reality is haunting scientists as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is declining bee population in the United States (1). A concrete conclusion as to why CCD is happening remains unclear but extensive research and studies are leaning towards a toxic component in honey to bees called hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (1). HMF has been a culprit in question for a while but researchers are still on the fence as to whether it should be concluded as such. It is theorized that HMF is formed in very warm temperatures and catalyzed by a metal in honey; manganese (1). Manganese is one of …

Water Quality Assessment Of Farmville, Va, Meghan Hall

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In Farmville, some people drink tap water, but others choose only to drink filtered or bottled water. Some blame this on taste, and others say the mineral content affects their skin from sinks and showers. I propose to conduct an analysis of water hardness and chloride, nitrate, and lead levels of water from various sources in Farmville, Virginia. To measure each parameter, an EDTA titration was carried out to test for water hardness, anodic stripping voltammetry was conducted to detect lead, ion-selective electrode was used to measure chloride, and a modified Griess reaction was carried out to measure nitrate levels. …

Chemistry Meets Art: Instrumental Analysis At The Lcva, James Rakes, Mia Arrieta, Kaleigh Beale, Adonel Grubb

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This project is an ongoing collaboration between the Longwood chemistry program and the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. The demonstration shows the capabilities of the X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer as a non-destructive elemental analysis technique. Our class visited the LCVA to analyze several pieces in their art collections. We were able to utilize the XRF instrument to analyze the elemental composition of glass and metal, painted pottery and porcelain, oil paintings, and metals. This project lays the groundwork for further research using X-ray fluorescence for non-destructive chemical analysis.

Partial Oxidation Of Methane To Synthesis Gas Over Ni/Γ-Al₂O₃ Catalysts: The Effect Of The Structure And The Pre-Treatment Of The Support On The Catalysts’ Performance, Sheikh Tijan Jobe

Theses

Abundant natural gas is a potential source of more cost-effective energy and its effective utilization can significantly reduce the dependence on petroleum oil. Disadvantages of natural gas as a direct fuel include its low energy density by volume, and high cost of transportation, which resulted in its underutilization as an alternative energy source. Therefore, the conversion of methane to more easily-handled and value-added products is becoming a promising route for natural gas utilization. Compared to steam reforming of methane to syngas, which is the most commercially applied conversion process, partial oxidation is a more cost-effective promising route. While noble metals …

Levels Of Testosterone Esters In Camel Hair, Aysha Khalid Alraeesi

Theses

Doping and steroid use represent a serious threat to animal health and can even lead to their untimely and painful death. However, doping is an acute problem in today's animal racing world, particularly in camel racing. Testosterone and its ten esters (benzoate, valerate, isocaproate, hexahydrobenzoate, decanoate, undecanoate, laurate, enanthate, cypionate, and caproate) are of utmost importance because when they are administered to animals it is difficult to measure them efficiently. The levels of testosterone and its esters in camels and other animals are typically determined using urine and blood tests. The aim of this study was to develop and validate …

Characterization Of Uranium, Lead, And Rare Earth Element Pollution In Natural Soils And Sediments, Hope Rasmussen

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Heavy metals in the environment add to the global burden of pollution, negatively impacting public health and ecosystem resilience. This study included projects regarding uranium (U), lead (Pb), and rare earth elements (REE) in natural samples, due to their known toxicity, ubiquity, and relevance in context to recent pollution trends. The first project focused on testing the potential of using a hydroxyapatite product as a remediation solution for U-contaminated groundwater and soil at an EPA Superfund site. The results showed that the U was sequestered in a highly crystalline mineral form within the solids, guiding the EPA to specify the …

Computational And Experimental Investigation Into The Determinants Of Protein Structure, Folding, And Stability In The Β-Grasp Superfamily, John T. Bedford Ii

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Elucidating the mechanisms of protein folding and unfolding is one of the greatest scientific challenges in basic science. The overarching goal is to predict three-dimensional structures from their amino acid sequences. Understanding the determinants of protein folding and stability can be facilitated through the study of evolutionarily related but diverse proteins. Insights can also be gained through the study of proteins from extremophiles that may more closely resemble the primordial proteins. In this doctoral research, three aims were accomplished to characterize the structure, folding and unfolding behavior within the β-grasp superfamily. We propose that the determinants of structure, stability, and …

Synthesis Of A Novel Pyrrole Family As Potential Anti-Cancer Agents, Sang T. Truong, Jeffrey A. Hansen

Student Research

A one-step selective reaction was developed to synthesize a novel pyrrole family (20 different members) from a keto-epoxide and several aromatic amines at room temperature in 3h. When substituting aromatic amine with aliphatic amines or inorganic bases, furan derivatives were produced selectively. The kinetic behavior of the reactions and structure of the products were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results showed that our reaction is selective with high yields (> 85%). To understand the selective formation of pyrrole and furan, we conducted computational experiences to study the mechanisms of the primary reaction and its competitor using Density Functional …

Development Of A Liquid Biopsy: Using A Synthetic Lectin Array For The Detection Of Cancer, Mary Grace Hollenbeck

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide with 9.6 million deaths in 2019. It is well known that early detection of cancer often leads to a better prognosis. However, due to drawbacks associated with current cancer screens (i.e. invasiveness, high false positive and negative rates) new or updated early detection methods are needed. Chapter one overviews current breast, colon, and prostate detection methods and the drawbacks associated with them. Additionally, this chapter presents an alternative detection method that utilizes an array of boronic acid functionalized synthetic lectins. We describe the development and progression of this array and show …

Use Of Anthraquinone Derivatives And Methods Of Efficient Syntheses, Alex Crespo

Senior Honors Theses

While the bromination of aromatic compounds is a well-researched topic, AQ and hydroxy substituted AQ derivatives, with two carbonyl groups acting as strong deactivators for electrophilic substitution, are notoriously difficult to brominate.¹¹ Although there are well defined ways to brominate an AQ or hydroxy substituted AQ dating back to 1921,¹² in order to synthesize more complex AQ derivatives, a method for halogenating AQ derivatives already bonded to more complicated or unstable functional groups is needed in order for the compound to carry out desirable activities. This represents an area of great need in research. The purpose of this …

Hydrogen-Bonded Clusters: A Study Of The Elusive Anisole-Ammonia And Anisole-Water 1:1 Complexes, John Lawrence Loman

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The hydrogen bond is one of the most important and versatile interactions found in most subsets of chemistry and biology. This interaction is responsible for reactions and characteristic properties of the systems in thereof. This interaction is just one of several available non-covalent interactions that can occur and over the past several decades of molecular spectroscopy studies, the definition of the hydrogen bond has become broader compared to the “classic” definition. To accurately study the hydrogen-bonding in these systems can be quite challenging due to the size and complexity of the molecules involved, as well as the other interactions that …

Synthesis Of Composites From Cellulose, Chitosan, And Ciprofloxacin Hci Encapsulated In Sporopollenin Capsules, Mark Mitmoen

Master's Theses (2009 -)

In order to be effective dressings for the treatment of infected wounds in the battlefield, it is essential that composite materials made from the biopolymers Cellulose and Chitosan contain broad-spectrum antibiotic drugs. These drugs must first be encapsulated into microcapsules in order to protect them from the manufacturing process, ensuring that they remain in a usable form in the final product. Here we demonstrate the successful encapsulation of Ciprofloxacin HCl into Sporopollenin Exine Capsules (SEC) to produce Cipro@SEC, followed by incorporation of Cipro@SEC into a polymer composite consisting of a mixture of Cellulose and Chitosan dissolved in 1-butylmethylimidazolium chloride, an …