20th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Quantitative Determination of Chromium(VI) Using Sol-Gel Encapsulated Redox Chemistry
Christopher M. Halsey* and Daniel F. Clark
Dr. David McCurdy, Faculty Mentor
Determining chromium in environmental and biological samples is important to many scientists. However, most methods of measurement for chromium only determine total chromium in the sample, not necessarily the forms of chromium that can exist. As it is known that Cr3+ (a trace nutrient) and Cr6+ (toxic and carcinogenic) both exist naturally, it is highly useful to have an approach that allows the determination of each species. This presentation will describe our efforts to develop a method for the spectrophotometric determination of Cr6+. The main goals are to provide a selective, sensitive, time-effective and simple approach for this purpose. The work will be based on the encapsulation of leuco-crystal violet(colorless) in a sol-gel matrix. A series of redox reactions triggered by the presence of Cr6+ ultimately creates crystal violet (purple-colored) which can be measured in a simple spectrophotometer. Ultimately, we hope to create a quantitative, sub-ppb technique.
Keywords: Chromium, Spectrophotometry, Speciation, Sol-gel
Topic(s):Chemistry
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 12-4
Location: VH 1212
Time: 9:00 am