Electrochemical waste treatment and synthesis

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I choose systems for electrochemical waste treatment and targets for synthesis that have practical importance, with potential for commercial application. These take advantage of the low cost of electricity for oxidation-reduction chemistry compared with conventional chemical reagents. Previous Discovery Grant funding has achieved significant spin-offs, seen by success in obtaining additional funding from other agencies; total 31 refereed journal articles since 2003. My paradigm is that prospective technologies must be simple (low-tech) for possible commercial implementation, but also mechanistically well understood from the "pure science" perspective. This combination of pure and applied science is important for training "highly qualified personnel" (HQP) - both graduate students and undergraduate summer assistants. All HQP are routinely trained as analytical chemists in appropriate combinations of standard analytical methods for metals, organic contaminants, or bioassay methods, depending on the specific project. All have secured research publications from their work in my laboratory, and found jobs almost immediately upon leaving my group or gone on to further studies. This application envisages support for two graduate students at any time, one undergraduate assistant each summer, and 50% funding for a PDF. Additional HQP will be trained with "extrernal" funding.