2022 Student Research Conference:
35th Annual Student Research Conference

Method Development of Iron Analysis Using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for Filtered Rain Water


Elise D. Stuertz*, Ireland G. Boyd, and Marian Handal
Dr. Brittany Hagenhoff , Faculty Mentor

Outside of La Plata, Missouri, there is a small community that lives a sustainable lifestyle, which includes collecting rainwater to drink, which is filtered before consumption. However, unfiltered water is used when cooking, cleaning, and bathing. Residents and visitors have reported fatigue and nausea with no known cause.  This prompted an investigation into the quality of their water. Samples include pre- and post-filtered water from four homes, four ponds, and one homemade sustainable filter. The water samples will be tested for a variety of heavy metals via atomic absorption spectroscopy, but first, an accurate method of detection needs to be developed.  Iron detection was first studied by modifying samples with known concentrations of iron using standard addition. By altering instrument methods, an accurate method of detecting iron with a small margin of error was developed.

Keywords: standard addition, water, Atomic absorption spectroscopy, iron, method development, analytical chemistry, GFAAS, Flame AA

Topic(s):Chemistry

Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Presentation

Session: 3-10
Location: https://flipgrid.com/d54e4a1e
Time: 0:00

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