My
name is Dan Cairnie and I am a senior chemistry major pursuing
research in the field of environmental chemistry. Right around the time of
Spring 2016, I really started to enjoy my experience in the lab because of all
the instruments I learned how to use in my classes. The instrument I enjoyed
the most (and still do) was the fluorescence spectrophotometer, also known as a
fluorimeter. For some inexplicable reason, I love looking at the
spectrophotometer output the peaks and troughs that come with a great sample
reading. With the current research I am doing, I have the pleasure of seeing
those peaks and troughs every day I enter the lab. I am fortunate enough work
alongside Dr. Greg Foster in a project that studies the quenching effect of a
commonly used pharmaceutical, carbamazepine (CBZ), on humic and fulvic acids
(HA and FA) found in water bodies. By studying these interactions, we can gain
a better understanding of the binding characteristics between the CBZ and HA/FA
components.
I usually come into Dr. Foster’s
laboratory on the weekends to experiment, since it is quiet and I am a bit more
relaxed. However, most of the time I spend in the lab is dedicated to preparing
solutions to run with the fluorimeter. It brings up recent memories of working
in the chemistry department’s stock room, where preparing various solutions
precisely was a staple in my routine there. While this process is certainly tedious
and time-consuming, the joy I get when I finally see an accurate spectrum that
supports literature makes everything worth it. So far, I have discovered that
in dilute concentrations of CBZ and HA/FA, a much simpler quenching model,
known as the Stern-Volmer equation, can be used in place of an extensive
multivariate analysis. This multivariate analysis, known as the Ryan-Weber
model, requires the mathematical programming software, MATLAB, in order to
attain more quantitative insights on how HA/FA binds with CBZ. Using the
Ryan-Weber model in experimentation is my ultimate goal once the Stern-Volmer
method of analysis is perfected. Humic and fulvic acids are an integral part of
the environmental remediation process, and with our research, we aim to understand
how this can be affected by pharma-chemicals and what can be done long-term to
mitigate any negative consequences.
