CAREER: A Bottom Up pAproach Toward Understanding the Sunlight Driven Mechanisms and Pathways for the Release of Metals from Petroleum.

在化学系环境化学科学项目和既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)的支持下，新奥尔良大学化学系的Phoebe Zito将研究阳光如何改变石油结合的金属及其对生态系统健康的影响。由于太阳的能量，地球表面的污染物可以被分解。尽管石油一旦被清理后就看不见了，但它仍然可能对水生健康产生有害影响。日晒油产生的化合物是水溶性的，可以通过水进行动员。其中几种化合物含有石油混合物中常见的重金属。有必要研究重金属的活性和归宿，以及重金属对水生生物的影响。阳光中的能量可以分解石油，但人们对其产生的物质知之甚少。项目数据将展示阳光如何帮助从石油中释放金属，以及它们的变化如何影响自然的生物地球化学循环。这项研究将得到针对不同学生的教育和外展活动的补充。活动将向学生介绍潜在的STEM(科学、技术、工程和数学)职业，包括工业领域。这将通过与当地非营利性组织的合作来实现。在这个奖项下，岩石卟啉将暴露在模拟的阳光下。实验将评估发生的物理和化学变化。金属浓度将使用电感耦合等离子体三重四极杆质谱仪(ICP-MS)进行测定。利用电子顺磁谱和化学探针法将确定岩石卟啉和水层中的光转化途径。在腐植酸和黄腐酸存在的情况下，将进行研究，以评估石油结合金属(PBM)对胶体稳定性、络合作用的影响及其在生物地球化学循环中的作用。PBM与土壤相互作用的光氧化还原转化将决定其在水环境中的生物有效性。金属的大小将使用单粒子电感耦合等离子体质谱仪、动态光散射仪和电子显微镜来确定。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program in the Division of Chemistry and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Phoebe Zito in the Department of Chemistry at the University of New Orleans will study how sunlight changes petroleum-bound metals and their impact on ecosystem health. As a result of the sun's energy, pollutants on the surface of the earth can be broken down. Even though the oil is invisible once it has been cleaned up, it can still have detrimental effects on aquatic health. Sunburned oil produces compounds that are water-soluble and can mobilize through the water. Several of these compounds contain heavy metals which are frequently found in petroleum mixtures. Research is necessary on heavy metal reactivity and fate, as well as heavy metal effects on aquatic life. The energy in sunlight can break down petroleum, but very little is known about the resulting materials. Project data will show how sunlight helps release the metals from the petroleum and how their transformations affect the natural biogeochemical cycle. The research will be complemented by education and outreach activities aimed at diverse students. Activities will introduce students to potential STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers, including in industry. This will be accomplished through a collaboration with a local nonprofit organization.Under this award, petroporphyrins will be exposed to simulated sunlight. Experiments will assess both physical and chemical changes that occur. Metal concentrations will be determined using inductively coupled plasma triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Phototransformation pathways will be determined in the petroporphyrin and water layer using electron paramagnetic spectroscopy and chemical probe methods. Studies in the presence of humic and fulvic acids will be undertaken to evaluate the impacts of petroleum bound metals (PBMs) on colloidal stability, complexation and their role in biogeochemical cycling. Photoredox transformations of PBM-soil interactions will dictate their bioavailability in aquatic environments. The size of metals will be determined using single particle ICP-MS, dynamic light scattering spectrophotometer and electron microscopy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.