Mentor(s):

Lauren Rossi, Chemistry, Roger Williams University

Project Location

Rhode Island College

Project Description

The assessment of nutrient and pollutant ions within aqueous/ saline solutions is an important goal aimed toward determining the health of Narragansett Bay. Various Schiff base proligands have been synthesized and reacted with metal salts, to form organometallic complexes.

Based upon these earlier results, it is the intention of this project to: 1) extend the synthesis to include siderophores to aid in the reductive capability of the complexed metal, 2) modify the ligand scaffold to vary metal ion afffinity/ increase water solubility and to extend conjugation, and 3) assess the complexation and application of these metal-complexes toward highly oxygenated ions (nitrate and/or organonitrates) within aqueous media.

This project involves lab work

Required/Preferred skills

Students should be open to learning and applying concepts from prior general chemistry/ organic chemistry laboratory experience. Skills that the students will develop/further:
1. Read and discuss primary scientific articles relevant to the reactions to be conducted.
2. Setup bench-top and/or microwave chemical reactions.
3. Safe handling of different chemicals.
4. Setup, operate, and assess the progress and success of a chemical reaction (TLC, GC, NMR)
5. Purify organic molecules (chromatographic techniques)
6. Maintain a research notebook (written communication skills) and discuss/present data weekly/biweekly (oral communication).
7. Safely operate and interpret data from instruments (GC, IR, NMR, UV-vis, etc.)
8. Schlenk techniques (air sensitive/ reactive)

Will the project require transportation to field sites? No

Is this project open to Surf Flex? Yes

In which core facilities might student conduct research? Molecular Characterization facility @ URI

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