With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at El Paso County Community College will purchase an inductively coupled optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including a) phytoremediation of soil and water; b) microbial contamination and chemical toxicity of the Rio Grande basin; c) development of metal ion sensors using biological materials; and d) soil pollution.
Electrically generated plasmas produce energetic sources for the optical emission spectrometer. An inductively coupled plasma is a high-temperature source in which energy to form the plasma is generated by a high-frequency magnetic field. The optical emission spectrometer is an extremely useful analytical tool that allows the identification of molecular species and an understanding of the energy levels in the molecule. These studies will have a significant impact in furthering our understanding of environmental chemistry and remediation of polluted sites.
