34th Annual Student Research Conference
Method Development for Heavy Metal Analysis using Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy in Drinking Water for a Sustainable Community
Marian Handal* and Caleb H. DeWitt
Dr. Brittany Hagenhoff , Faculty Mentor
One of the greatest challenges for sustainable communities is finding a safe source of drinking water. Rainwater catchment systems is one such option, but rainwater collected from galvanized metal roofs can contain dangerous heavy metals or other toxins carried through the atmosphere. The Possibility Alliance in La Plata, MO is a sustainable community that uses filtered rainwater as their primary source of drinking water. Several water samples, filtered, and unfiltered, as well as area ponds were tested for heavy metals to ensure the efficacy of water filtration systems and safety of local water sources. Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy is used for the analysis to ensure that accurate and precise concentrations of the heavy metals are measured. Current method variations include addition of matrix modifiers and varying instrument methods to measure lead concentrations to verify that the levels are safe for consumption.
Keywords: environmental studies, water quality, heavy metal analysis, Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
Topic(s):Chemistry
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 6-9
Location: https://flipgrid.com/ebc10430
Time: 0:00