Kim Weaver, Ph.D. - US grants

This project enables the implementation of modern environmental chemical analyses in the university's area of emphasis in environmental chemistry, which is offered as an option within the bachelor's chemistry degree program. The program's goal is to prepare students for careers in environmental monitoring, assessment, and industrial ecology research and development by teaching them U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methods of environmental analysis and assessment. This is done in two lecture/laboratory courses and a required independent research project. Students learn environmental assessment techniques by working as a group to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) using National Environmental Policy Act (1970) guidelines. Samples are collected and analyzed to obtain data in support of the EIS. The only inorganic priority pollutant that had not been measured is Hg, and hence this project provides a vapor generator accessory to be used on an existing AAS. The project also provides a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer to enable measurement of specific organic compounds including chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, PAHs, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Other new equipment upgrades sample preparation procedures to improve safety, efficiency, and analyte yield and reduce the environmental impact of the analysis itself. This equipment includes a microwave-assisted digestor, a grinding mill, a tissue homogenizer, a freeze drier, a sonic dismembrator, solid-phase extraction units, and equipment to heat and recover solvents from Kuderna-Danish evaporators. The new laboratory experiences can be added to the university's Environmental Chemistry Laboratory manual, which is in use at other institutions. No other undergraduate teaching manual is available for teaching USEPA methods. The new equipment can also be used in mandatory student research projects, whose results are traditionally presented off campus. *

0079658
Guentzel
This Major Research Instrumentation award to Coastal Carolina University provides instrumentation for marine and environmental sciences research and training. In particular, support will provide graphite furnace and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and carbon-nitrogen-sulfur analysis instruments and computers for developing a laboratory intranet,as well as additional instrumentation to expand the laboratory capabilities in environmental chemistry. The project is supported by the Division of Ocean Sciences at NSF. Coastal Carolina University will provide cost-share support for nearlhy 40% of total project costs.
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Interdisciplinary (99) An interdisciplinary team of faculty and administrators introduce students and educators in the use of analytical techniques and curricula associated with the broad scope of chemistry, biology and computer science in order to launch a new, undergraduate program in forensic science. The project incorporates the area of computer-related crime into the course of study. The project also produces a short course in forensic science for the interdisciplinary team, examines a variety of other university curricula and produces laboratory and classroom pilot projects.