Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies

认识到跨学科研究对本科生的智力价值，化学系、环境工程系和生物系联合起来，建立了一个跨系合作，以促进本科教育中的环境科学研究。为化学、环境工程和生物课程开发了新的实验室实验，用于测量对环境重要的样品。我们正在将现有的仪器分析实验课程转变为跨学科的，以环境为主题的仪器分析课程。为了开展涉及金属分析（例如铅）的更相关的实验，需要一种金属含量检测限低的仪器。原子吸收光谱法（AAS）由于其在水和土壤样品中痕量元素测量中的通用性而在环境分析中得到了广泛的应用。在这笔资助的基础上，我们获得了一个火焰原子吸收分光光度计，这增加了可以进行的环境分析的类型，并通过提供一种可应用于各种含金属样品的通用分析技术，进一步加强了三个部门教员之间的合作。这笔赠款的广泛影响是双重的。首先，在UDM，教职员工有一个重要的机会向多元化的学生群体推广STEM教育。其次，该课程的跨学科性质非常适合在社区学院和小型大学申请。评估过程是监测用于环境科学教学的拟议跨学科方法的成功情况。项目评估咨询公司TEST， Incorporated协助该项目的评估准备工作。计划通过出版已开发的实验室实验和对项目的评估，以及在参与这项赠款的所有三个学科的地方、区域和国家会议上进行介绍来进行传播。

Chemistry (12)Recognizing the intellectual merit of interdisciplinary studies to undergraduate students, the departments of chemistry, environmental engineering, and biology, have joined together to create an interdepartmental collaboration to promote environmental science studies in undergraduate education. New laboratory experiments for chemistry, environmental engineering and biology courses have been developed for measuring environmentally important samples. We are converting the existing instrumental analysis laboratory course into an interdisciplinary, environmentally-themed instrumental analysis course. To develop more relevant experiments that involve metal analysis (e.g., lead), an instrument with low detection limits for metal content was required. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) has gained wide application for environmental analysis because of its versatility in the measurement of trace quantities of most elements in water and soil samples. Based on this grant, we acquired a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, which increases the types of environmental analyses that can be carried out and further strengthens the collaboration between faculty in the three departments by providing a common analysis technique that can be applied to a variety of metal-containing samples. The broader impact of this grant is two-fold. First, at UDM, faculty members have a significant opportunity to promote STEM education to a diverse student body. Secondly, the interdisciplinary nature of the program is well-suited for application at community colleges and small universities. An evaluation process is monitoring success of the proposed interdisciplinary approach used to teach environmental science. TEST, Incorporated, a program evaluation consulting firm assisted in the preparations for evaluation of this project. Dissemination is planned through publication of developed laboratory experiments and assessment of the project, as well as presentation at local, regional, and national meetings in all three disciplines participating in this grant.