Analytical Chemistry Commons^™

Photo And Spatial Control Of Rna Structures And Functions: Exploring Positional Effects And Photo-Responsiveness Of Azobenzene Modified Nucleotides, Jinxi Du

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

RNA molecules perform many important biological functions by forming complex three-dimensional structures stabilized by base pairing, tertiary interactions, and metal ion coordination. Because RNA function depends strongly on its structure, methods that allow reversible control of RNA conformation and activity are important for understanding RNA behavior and for potential therapeutic applications. However, achieving reversible and site-specific control of RNA structure, especially at the single-nucleotide level, remains challenging. In this dissertation, I developed and applied azobenzene-modified nucleotides as a chemical tool to enable optical and spatial control of RNA structure and function.

The first part of this dissertation focuses on establishing …

The Chemistry Of Red Lipstick: The Impact Red Lipstick Has On Society, Lilliana Weldeslassie

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Cosmetic chemistry is deeply embedded in everyday life, shaping the products people use from morning to night. Among these, red lipstick stands out as a formulation that blends complex chemistry with a cultural meaning. This thesis examines the scientific foundations of red lipstick through its chemical composition, pigment structure, toxicological history, analytical methods, and evolving sustainability practices. Historically, red lipsticks relied on high-risk ingredients such as lead, mercury, and other toxic metals, reflecting an era before chemical safety and regulatory oversight were incorporated.²¹ Modern formulations have established safer synthetic dyes, natural waxes, plant-based oils, and stabilizers created to optimize …

Nanostructured Cathode Catalysts For Aem Electrolysis: From Catalyst Design To Degradation And Hydrogen Dynamics, Yamini Kumaran

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) presents a promising pathway toward cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production by integrating the chemical robustness of alkaline systems with the compact, zero-gap design of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. However, the widespread implementation of AEMWE is limited by the availability of highly active and durable platinum-group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts and by an incomplete understanding of their degradation behavior under realistic operating conditions.

This dissertation focuses on the development, characterization, and mechanistic investigation of nanostructured MoNi₄–MoO₂-based electrodes for efficient and stable hydrogen generation under alkaline and membrane-integrated environments. MoNi₄–MoO₂ nanorods …

Identification Of Fentanyl And Fentanyl Analogs Found In Human Urine Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Adam M. Fisher

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Identification of fentanyl and its analogs in unknown samples is a frequent practice completed in forensic crime labs, as the fentanyl epidemic continues. With the continued increase in illicit drug use, crime labs are not able to keep up with the flooding of new fentanyl analogs being developed, resulting in new analogs slipping past the crime labs’ authority. This research is to start to develop a database of commonly found fentanyl analogs in New York State. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is a widely used method for the detection and identification of illicit drugs in forensic crime labs. A database that …

Determining The Time Since Deposition Of Bloodstains Based On Vibrational Spectroscopy For Forensic Purposes, Alexis Renee Weber

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

At the scene of violent crimes, bloodstain evidence is one of the most frequently found and valuable types of evidence. Blood traces discovered at crime scenes can provide crucial information to an investigation. By obtaining a DNA profile from the bloodstain, the profile can be used to link someone to a crime scene, which can corroborate or dispute a witness's statement. However, the current analysis of bloodstains is still not able to answer a key question for investigators: how much time has passed since the criminal event occurred? In addition, an equally important aspect of crime reconstruction is the ability …

Novel Applications Of Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy For Drug Discovery, Mrna Vaccine Stability Assessment, And Forensic Purposes, Lamyaa M. Almehmadi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The main focus of this dissertation was to apply enhanced Raman spectroscopy techniques to a variety of applications, ranging from drug discovery, mRNA vaccine stability, to forensic analysis. There are five chapters in this dissertation. The first chapter discusses the basics of enhanced Raman spectroscopy techniques and their relevance. The second chapter is focused on the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for drug discovery. The third chapter introduces the use of deep ultraviolet resonance Raman (DUVRR) spectroscopy for the detection of mRNA degradation in a mRNA vaccine model. The fourth chapter introduces the use of stand-off Raman spectroscopy in …

Organic Gunshot Residue : Detection, Identification, And Characterization For Forensic Purposes, Shelby R. Khandasammy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The major focus of this thesis was to explore methods for the detection, identification, and characterization of organic gunshot residues (OGSRs) for forensic purposes using various spectroscopic techniques. There are four major projects detailed in this thesis. The first project details the development of a novel-two step method for the detection and identification of organic gunshot residues using fluorescence spectroscopy for detection and Raman spectroscopy as a confirmatory step. The second chapter builds upon the study conducted in the first chapter by applying the novel-two step method covered in the first chapter to OGSRs directly fired into cloth substrates. This …

Amyloid Fibril Formation And Polymorphism : A Critical Role Of Sulfur-Containing Amino Acid Residues, Tatiana Quiñones-Ruiz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Protein aggregation that results in the formation of amyloid fibrils has been linked to many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The sulfur atoms in methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) residues of proteins can be readily oxidized, significantly affecting their properties. Oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids has recently been shown to affect protein fibrillation. This work presents novel findings on Cys and Met redox reactions that are related to the formation of amyloid fibrils and on the polymorphism of a model fibrillogenic protein, hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). Biophysical techniques including Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron paramagnetic …

An Ims-Ms/Md Workflow For Determining Higher Order Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleic Acids, Rebecca D'Esposito

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ion mobility spectrometry - mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) has potential for the investigation of structure and dynamics in large biopolymers, which will come to full fruition only with a firmer understanding of how to interpret the experimental data. Numerous studies have employed elements of nucleic acid (NA) secondary structure, such as duplexes and hairpins, to explore the relationships between structure, experimental conditions, and actual observations. When combined with molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), IMS-MS can be effectively employed to perform structural elucidation of biomolecules that are not readily amenable to established techniques employed for structural analysis.

Development And Applications Of Touch Chemistry Biometrics Analysis Of Latent Fingermarks By Maldi-Ms, Cameron M. Longo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Fingerprint evidence has long been a pillar of forensic science and has been used for over a century as a means of identifying an individual. This is accomplished through the comparison of friction ridge patterns, which are inherently unique to each individual, and the practice of visualizing fingerprints and comparing them has become a well-studied field. While these techniques have been optimized and improved over time, they generally rely only on the physical pattern to provide information about the donor, and not the content of the fingerprint material itself. In the modern era, steps have been made to extract from …

A Project To Dye For : Differentiation Of Dyed And Non-Dyed Human Hairs Using Atr Ft-Ir Spectroscopy, Joseph John Greco

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

IR spectroscopy is widely utilized for forensic purposes due to the chemical fingerprint the method provides. ATR FT-IR spectroscopy is particularly advantageous because it allows for spectra to be collected quickly, accurately, and perhaps most importantly for forensics, non-destructively. Human hair is commonly collected at a crime scene, and further analyzed using DNA analysis and microscopy. However, these techniques have limitations. In the past ATR FT-IR spectroscopy has shown promise in the analysis of human hair for forensic purposes. In this study, the differentiation of undyed hair versus dyed hair classes of varying colors based on their IR spectra were …

The Detection And Identification Of Blood On Interfering Substrates Using Raman Spectroscopy And Hamand For Forensic Purposes, Jalissa M. Thomas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Body fluids, such as blood and semen, can provide invaluable information to a criminal investigation. As such, it is imperative that body fluid evidence is properly detected and identified. Our laboratory has developed a methodology to universally detect and identify body fluids using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. This methodology was developed under ideal conditions, which are rare in the field. Body fluid evidence can be found on substrates that produce a large Raman signal that can hinder detection of body fluid traces, which produce a weak signal. This project proposes the use of a statistical program called HAMAND (Hypothetical Addition …

Mass Spectral And Chemometric Analysis For The Detection And Identification Of Forensically Relevant Materials, Meghan Grace Appley

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Forensic science is the application of science to the law which in and of itself covers a substantial number of disciplines. Many of these involve the detection and identification of materials using analytical techniques. Traditional analysis methods include microscopy, spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The materials encountered by forensic practitioners are ever evolving, resulting in the need to develop new methods to complement conventional techniques to enhance the evidentiary value of the samples. The research presented here shows that novel methods including direct analysis in real time–high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS), thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), solid-phase microextraction (SPME) …

Legacy And Emerging Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances : Analysis, Environmental Distribution, And Bioconcentration, Richard Anthony Brase

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a broad class of anthropogenic chemicals that have been used in numerous industrial and consumer-product applications since the late 1940s. The environmental persistence of these compounds in combination with their widespread commercial use have led PFAS to be recognized as contaminants of concern on the global scale. Despite regulatory efforts calling for the decreased use of certain perfluorocarboxylic and -sulfonic acids referred to as “legacy” PFAS, these compounds continue to be detected in both environmental and biological matrices. Moreover, manufacturers have begun to replace the legacy PFAS with emerging alternatives for which the regulations …

Application Of Direct Analysis In Real Time-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry To Genus- And Species-Level Differentiation And Identification Of Coral, Jessica Mary Hayes

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems, and the accurate identification of the species is essential for diversity assessment, species delimitation and conservation. Current species and genus determination approaches are time consuming, resource intensive and can be highly subjective. To explore the hypothesis that the small molecule profiles of coral are species and genus specific, and can be used as a rapid tool to catalogue, classify and identify coral genera and species, the small-molecule chemical fingerprints of coral belonging to the species Acanthastrea echinata, Catalaphyllia jardinei, Duncanopsammia axifuga, Echinopora lamellosa, Euphyllia divisa, Euphyllia paraancora, Euphyllia paradivisa, Galaxea …

Understanding The Rage Signaling Pathway And Its Contribution To Diabetic Complications, Leon Vegas Ho

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The binding of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is an important feature of the RAGE signaling pathway that plays a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Under high glucose concentration, RAGE expression increases immensely from the formation of a Schiff base by glucose bounded to lysine. This triggers an inflammatory and immune response and upregulates the expression of RAGE and causes an accumulation of AGEs in the body. As a result, this leads to the development of diabetes and other complications such as, atherosclerosis, nephrothapy, and retinopathy. To remedy AGE accumulation, …

Towards Machine Learning In Chemical Sensing : Milk Differentiation And Quality Control Through Two-Dimensional Nano-Sensor Array, Yu Sheng Chen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Herein, we developed a novel artificial tongue using machine learning and 12 nanoassemblies (2D-NAs) to identify and analyzed different kinds of milk beverages for quality control. This biomimetic sensor array was trained to “taste” different milk types as an “artificial tongue” which is the first time we demonstrated that this sensor array can be implemented to complex systems. Two-dimensional nanoparticles (2D-nps) and nine fluorescently labeled single stranded oligonucleotides (ssDNA) with different length and nucleobases were assembled to create 12 2D-NAs. The artificial tongue was deployed to identify and analyze five milk types. All five milk types were discriminated with 95% …

Elemental Composition And Arsenic Speciation Analysis Of Processed Seafood Products Using Atomic Spectrometric Techniques, Austin A. Roberts

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Arsenic (As) is a widely known toxic element that is highly ubiquitous and has been detected in soil, sediment, naturals waters, the atmosphere, and in organisms of the 5 kingdoms. The toxicity of As however, is dependent on the molecular form in which it takes as well as the route of exposure. For the general population, exposure to As mainly takes place via ingestion of food and water, which have led to numerous studies investigating As and it’s various species in these matrices. Seafood is one of the major sources of dietary exposure to As and has thus led to …

Biochemical And Chemical Methods Of Key Derivation For Cryptographic Ciphers, Leif K. Mcgoldrick

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Cryptography is a vital component of digital communication and digital data in general. The use of cryptography is necessary to support the veracity of data and to protect it from outside parties with malicious intent. Cryptography focuses on two main facets that are vital for this goal: data encryption and user authentication. Encryption protects the data by transforming it into an encrypted text that would not allow someone access without having or breaking the encryption method that was used to make it. User authentication is a multiple part process that allows for one to be able to identify oneself to …

Utilizing Raman Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For Novel Medical Diagnostic Purposes, Nicole M. Ralbovsky

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Many problems exist within the myriad of currently employed diagnostic techniques. Further, an incredibly wide variety of procedures are used to identify an even greater number of diseases which exist in the world. There is a definite unmet clinical need to improve the diagnostic capabilities of these methods, including improving test sensitivity and specificity, objectivity and definitiveness, and reducing cost and how invasive a test is, with an interest in replacing multiple diagnostic methods with one powerful tool. That is, the development of a singular technique which can accurately and objectively diagnose a wide variety of diseases in a cost-effective …

Investigation Of Underpotential Deposition Of Copper At Heated Gold Loop Screen-Printed Electrodes In A Variety Of Water Samples, Eun-Ju Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

To study the underpotential deposition (UPD) of copper, three different types of water samples (TraceSelect® Ultra-pure water, Indian pond water at University at Albany and tap water) are used at a heated gold loop screen-printed electrode (GLE), which is a new type of heated working electrode for voltammetry measurements that is able to directly detect the copper content in the water samples. The anodic stripping analysis of copper is performed with these gold loop electrodes at room temperature of 25 °C and electrode temperature of 80 °C at two different deposition potentials, -0.20 V and +0.10 V. Furthermore, the concentration …

Bioaffinity-Based Methods For Forensic, Biometric, And Clinical Purposes, Mindy Elizabeth Hair

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Biomarker analysis is a well-established discipline that involves the evaluation of biological samples for the presence of various substances indicative of personal attributes or illnesses. Sweat is one example of a biological fluid that is often overlooked for forensic and clinical analyses, even though it can contain DNA, various amino acids, and other low molecular weight compounds.1–3 The work presented in this dissertation focuses on the use of bioaffinity-based assays to quantify biomarkers in sweat for both forensic and clinical applications. The concentration of the biochemical content within an individual’s sweat are controlled by hormone-based metabolic pathways4 that fluctuate daily …

Raman Spectroscopic Examination Of Bloodstains For Forensic Purposes : Background And Race Determination, Ewelina M. Mistek

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Chapter 1 of this thesis critically overviews recent developments in forensic trace evidence analysis since 2016. It covers improvements to existing techniques as well as new methods for the analysis of fibers, hair, paint, glass, gunshot residue (GSR), and explosives.

Development Of Laser Ablation Direct Analysis In Real Time Imaging-Mass Spectrometry (Ladi-Ms)-Applications To Questions Of Relevance To Forensic Science And Plant Biochemistry, Kristen Leigh Fowble

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Methods for the accomplishment of small molecule imaging by mass spectrometry are challenged by the need for sample pre-treatment steps such as cryo-sectioning, dehydration, chemical fixation, or application of a matrix or solvent, that must be performed to obtain interpretable spatial distribution data. Furthermore, these steps along with requirements of the mass analyzer such as high vacuum, can severely limit the range of sample types that can be analyzed by this powerful method. Here, we report the development of a laser ablation-direct analysis in real time imaging-mass spectrometry (LADI-MS) approach which couples a 213 nm Nd:YAG solid state UV laser …

Novel Mass Spectrometric Approaches For Deciphering The Epitranscriptomic Code, William D. Mcintyre

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

According to the results of the Human Genome Project, less than 5% of our genome consists of sequences that code for actual proteins. At the same time, however, ~90% of these non-coding sequences are transcribed into a myriad of classes of ribonucleic acids collectively known as ncRNAs, which have been recognized as essential regulatory factors. It has been recently shown that the activity of ncRNAs can be in turn modulated by post-transcriptional modifications (PTMs), covalent marks that can be established/removed by tightly regulated enzymatic pathways. Now, the race is on to understand the new set of controls of cellular functions …

Characterizing Body Fluids With Raman Spectroscopy : Towards Real World Application, Marisia Ann Fikiet

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This project continues the research on a new method of body fluid identification and furthers its field capabilities. This method of identification uses Raman spectroscopy and advanced chemometrics to distinguish between body fluids. It is an improvement on current methods because it is confirmatory, non-destructive, and has simple sample preparation. The first objective of this research is to create a model for differentiating body fluids for a new desktop instrument. It was determined that due to resolution differences from a research grade instrument, a new model needed to be made for this the desktop instrument. This model will be able …

Permanently Heated Micro-Wire Electrodes For Electrochemistry Above The Boiling Point, Zhihua Chang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Heated micro-wire electrodes offer lots of advantages, such as, accurate temperature control, enhanced diffusion and accelerated reaction kinetics through micro-stirring effect, easy cleaning, and low cost, etc. Its application in high temperature electrochemistry has gained lots of interests since its debut in the mid-1990s. A maximum of 250 °C has been reported using heating pulses in duration of 5 ms. For various applications, permanently heating would be more useful. In this study, two types of micro-wire electrodes were successfully developed for electrochemistry above the boiling point with acetaminophen as model compound and a continuous heating time of at least 2 …

Evaluation Of Fingerprint Content For Forensic Crime Scene Analysis And Drug Metabolite Detection, Erica Kathryn Brunelle

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

With respect to criminal investigations, one key piece of evidence that often gets overlooked are fingerprints. For years, fingerprint samples have been believed to be useful only for matching purposes using their unique ridges, shapes, and sizes. With the rapid growth of forensic science, it has become evident that the development of fingerprint analysis has been stagnant. The traditional approach has been advantageous for the identification of many individuals; however, many fingerprint samples have been labeled “unusable” due to smudging, smearing, or any one of a myriad of reasons that could cause inconclusive matches. These samples can, however, still be …

Accumulation And Spatial Distribution Of Lead And Other Trace Elements In Keratinized Tissues : Investigations Based On Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, Mina W. Tehrani

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Human biomonitoring for toxic metals such as lead (Pb) provides information about absorbed dose from all exposure routes, and is critical for identifying exposed individuals and assessing health risks. Blood Pb and bone Pb are the primary validated biomarkers for assessing short-term and historical Pb exposures, respectively, while non-traditional matrices, including keratinized tissues, can provide complementary exposure information. Hard keratinized tissues – including hair, nails, hooves, and horns – grow incrementally, potentially preserving chemical exposure histories over a span of days to years. Analytical limitations and poor interlaboratory reproducibility, however, have led to debate around the use of human nails …

Technology Development For Detection Of Circulating Disease Biomarkers From Liquid Biopsies Using Multifunctional Nanomaterials, Mustafa Balcioglu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite the advance health care, devastating health conditions such as cancer and infectious diseases that affect populations worldwide are too often not diagnosed until morbid symptoms become apparent in the late phase. Obtaining an early and accurate diagnosis that reveal a hidden lethal threat before the disease becomes complicated may dramatically reduce the severity of its impact on the patient’s life and increase the probability of survival. For example, in the case of ovarian cancer, which is the fifth most common malignancy and the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality in women in the US, the 5-year relative survival is …