MRI: Acquisition of an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer for Interdisciplinary Research and Undergraduate Research Training

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With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation (CRIF) Program, Westminster College will acquire an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). This instrument is used to analyze samples especially to determine the presence of metals and their concentrations. It operates by creating an energetic hot plasma that vaporizes the sample and produces ions. The ions of interest emit spectral fingerprints (emission spectra) enabling their identification and concentration. This is a widely used instrument for analysis of environmental samples (water, soil, waste, etc.). The instrument will be used by undergraduate students in research and in laboratory training courses. It will also be used in research by students at Allegheny College and Thiel College. High school students at the Wilmington Area High School will use the instrument to continue and expand ongoing efforts to monitor heavy metal contamination in local water sources. Westminster College will further its goal of providing the most current instrumentation needed for research and training in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Environmental Science, and Material Science and expanding regional STEM research and training capabilities.The proposal is aimed at enhancing research especially in areas including (a) developing methods to synthesize commercially-relevant rare earth silicates; (b) recoverying rare earth oxides from scrap and end-of-life tech products; (c) recoverying manganese from passive water treatment systems; (d) using chemometrics to predict metal concentrations in frack water; (e) analyzing environmental stressors on aquatic vertebrates; (f) quantifying nutrient availability in forest soils receiving chronic nitrogen amendments; and (g) measuring metal contamination in compost.