CHED 865 |
| Jessica R. Bell, Daniel J. Brabander, and Nolan T. Flynn. |
| Polymer networks are a novel tool for monitoring and removing dissolved heavy metal contamination in bodies of water. Crosslinking agents and comonomers affect a gel's affinity for metal ions. This research investigates hydrogels synthesized from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) with the crosslinking agents N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAm) and N,N'-cystaminebisacrylamide (CBAm). The notable difference between these two crosslinking agents is the sulfur atoms in CBAm. The amount of each crosslinking agent was varied in order to optimize metal uptake. To investigate the metal sorption, Fe2+ and Fe3+ uptake was induced by drying the gels and then rehydrating in an iron solution. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy were used to characterize the amount of iron in the hydrogel. The interaction of iron ions with the gel matrix was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The application to natural water studies and eventual field studies is ultimately investigated. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Environmental Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, 27 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |