Fall 2024 SYE

Fall 2024 SYE Projects:

A New Class of Degradable Polymer: Guaiazulene Derivatives in Optimal Electronic Applications and Waste Reduction  

Author: Annika Waskiewicz   |  Advisor: Dr. Patrick Lutz  
It’s no secret that plastics are harmful to our environment, posing many negative effects on the land, air, and water systems they infiltrate. However, it is also undeniable that plastics are practical, versatile, and inexpensive, which is why they are so widespread and integral for many applications. Unfortunately, most commonly used plastics do not easily degrade into simpler components, which is why polymer degradation and recycling is a longstanding challenge. Arriving at a truly sustainable plastics economy will likely require developing entirely new materials that can be broken down more readily.  

My SYE research attempts to find methods by which polymers can be assembled and later disassembled using reversible reactions. Aldehyde derivatives of the naturally occurring molecule guaiazuelene are promising candidates in reversible polymerization reactions through imine chemistry. This class of conjugated polymers could have applications in semiconducting electronics, solar cell technology, and organic electronics. By working with these novel monomers, this research hopes to find a new class of degradable polymers which would be groundbreaking in its reduction of waste in the environment.  

My research will begin by creating, identifying, and understanding the reactivity of monosubstituted guaiazulene derivatives and their roles in imine reactions. Once optimal conditions have been established, research focus will be on connecting disubstituted guaiazulene derivatives via aniline derivatives to form macromolecules or, in ideal cases, polymer chains, that can still be disassembled. To ensure the proper synthesis of each compound, techniques of NMR, IR, and UV-vis spectrometry will be employed at each step. By focusing on the organic synthesis, identification, and reactivities of the compounds created, this project incrementally approaches the larger goal of a degradable polymer class.  

 

Azo Dye Project 

Author: Emily Felton  |  Advisor: Dr. Amanda Oldacre 
Highly toxic azo dyes are commonly used in textiles, paints, cosmetics, food, and the pharmaceutical industries for their bright pigmentation. Pre-carcinogenic azo dyes are defined by a nitrogen-nitrogen double bond attached to substituted aryl rings on either side of the azo bond. Azo bonds can be reduced into carcinogenic aromatic amines, which have the ability to react with our DNA. Sequestration and degradation experiments with metal organic frameworks in water will be used to investigate a form of azo dye called methyl orange. Metal organic frameworks (MOF) are structures that contain Lewis acidic metal nodes connected by Lewis basic organic linkers to form a crystalline structure capable of adsorbing pollutants from water. MOF 525 is a type of framework formed using coordination sites on zirconium clusters linked together with a porphyrin ligand creating a porous structure with catalytic sites embedded in the organic ligand. Methyl Orange has a high molar absorptivity allowing the completion of sequestration experiments using UV-vis spectroscopy. The removal of methyl orange from water using MOF 525 can be monitored through UV-vis spectra, where the lambda max can be tracked and analyzed to obtain a sequestration rate constant. Electrochemical experiments, such as cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis will be performed to investigate the degradation of methyl orange through electrocatalytic oxidation to benign mineralized products.  

 

Molecularly Imprinted Carbon Dots to Detect Cardiac Troponin I   

Author: Hadley Reinke  |  Advisor: Dr. Samantha Glazier  
Carbon dots (CDs) are nanoparticles that are inexpensive and ecofriendly relative to traditional quantum dots. CDs are a fluorescent material that can be utilized in biological systems as a nano sensor by binding a specific target and quenching the CDs fluorescence. The CDs become selective to a target through the molecularly imprinting process, which includes a silica matrix combining a group of CDs that are then covered by a polymer with an imbedded binding site. Using molecularly imprinted CDs to detect a macromolecule raises concerns about orientation and fragility during the imprinting and detection process because of the protein’s large size. A solution to some of these problems for detection of proteins is using the epitope approach, which is using the beginning and ending nine amino acids (peptides) found on the protein as the template molecule during the imprinting process. Cardiac Troponin I is a biomarker for a myocardial infarction and therefore makes for an interesting macromolecular target where sensitivity and selectivity are critical. CDs made through the hydrothermal method and molecularly imprinted using a modified Ströber method will be used to detect nano-levels of Cardiac Troponin I, using fluorescence spectroscopy.  

 

Determining the Concentration and Type of Microplastics in Fresh-Water Soft Body Clams from Northern, NY
 

Author: Hannah Charlebois  |  Advisor: Dr. Amanda Oldacre  
Plastic products have been increasingly utilized in all aspects of life. Many single-use plastics are used in food packaging, construction, automobiles, farming, healthcare products, and much more. When plastic is not properly recycled, it can enter all spheres of our environment, through atmospheric transport or advection in water bodies, acting as a large-scale pollutant. Through mechanical degradation and various chemical reactions caused by the sun, heat, and water currents, large plastic objects are slowly turned into smaller pieces called microplastics (MP). MP are any piece of plastic that ranges from 1.0 nanometer to 5.0 millimeters in size with various morphologies such as fragments, pellets/microbeads, and fibers. Once introduced into aquatic ecosystems, MP can be ingested by aquatic organisms and transcend trophic levels. Filter-feeding organisms can retain fine sediment in their gills and digestive tracks, which makes them susceptible to MP contamination.  This research project is designed to examine relative concentrations of MP in the tissues of fresh-water clams from 14 water bodies in Northern NY and the Adirondacks. Clam, soft bodies will be digested using Fenton’s reagent. Isolated microplastics will be counterstained with Nile Red and Evans Blue dye, then examined using brightfield and confocal microscopy to determine the concentration and type of MP in tissues of fresh-water clams.  

 

Detection and Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds Using Sensor-Triggered Detectors

Author: Istvan Balogh  |  Advisor: Dr. Matthew Skeels 
This research aims to detect and analyze Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) using sensor-triggered detectors for real-time monitoring. VOCs are gases emitted from solids and liquids which if inhaled can cause various short as well as long term health problems depending. Even though millions of people encounter VOCs at their households and workplaces, unfortunately the current standard methods for indoor air quality testing are insufficient at accurately determining how much organic compounds people get exposed to if the VOC concentration rapidly fluctuates. To tackle this problem, Dr. Skeels manufactured detectors equipped with PID sensors that send a digital signal that triggers the collection of air samples when VOCs in air reach a pre-determined threshold. Detectors will be installed at numerous sampling sites to detect air quality, along with standard air collecting canisters as a control group. The collected air samples will be analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our hypothesis is that sensor trigger detectors give a more accurate and detailed picture of how much VOCs humans get exposed to in their houses or workplaces over set times. If successful, these detectors can revolutionize VOC detection, and allow low cost PID sensors to be put in use.  

 

Extensive Characterization of Carbon Dot Nanostructures Synthesized from Phenylenediamine Polymerization Pathway

Author: Joel Asare  |  Advisor: Dr. Samantha Glazier  
Carbon dots (g-CDs) are a promising nanomaterial with a wide range of applications including energy conversion, bio-imaging, and drug delivery, thanks to their low cytotoxicity and high biocompatibility. These carbon dots are synthesized through an amide condensation reaction between o-phenylenediamine and citric acid. The resulting carbon dots are characterized using infrared (IR) and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Characterization of the products is important because there are at least three different reaction pathways, including amide derivatives and polymetric structures. This complexity contributes to the current uncertainty in structural details and incomplete understanding of the optical properties of carbon dots. To combat this, extensive structural characterization including X-Ray diffraction, Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy will provide detailed information of the nanostructure. The fluorescence properties of CDs are commonly used in detection applications. For example, at SLU, CDs have been used to detect the explosive TNT and are currently being developed to detect the protein cardiac troponin I and deliver a potential anti-inflammatory drug epigallocatechin-3-gallate. The fluorescence depends on particle size; we will design and construct a dynamic light scattering instrument using 3D printing and Arduino technology to analyze the size distribution of the g-CDs. This comprehensive approach will enable us to propose a definitive structural model for our carbon dots, addressing the existing gaps in research on carbon dot properties.    

 

Synthesizing Carbon Dots Using EGCG for Future Use in Drug Delivery to Reduce Inflammation

Author: Katie Vandyck  |  Advisor: Dr. Samantha Glazier  
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG, a molecule found in green tea, has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body such as inflammation in the brain due to Alzheimer’s Disease. However, EGCG has a difficult time penetrating cells and is easily bound to other proteins. Carbon dots, nanoparticles made of carbon atoms that are less than 10 nanometers wide, can be used in drug delivery, given its highly permeable characteristics, by binding to the molecule and protecting it from surrounding environment. In this study, a carbon quantum dot will be synthesized using the hydrothermal method with EGCG as its carbon source and characterized using SCM, IR and NMR Spectroscopy. EGCG can be proven a successful molecule for creating carbon dots and eligible for drug delivery to reduce inflammation due to its fluorescence, small size and medicinal compounds. Once synthesized, EGCG carbon dots can be used to treat HT22 cells, a neuronal cells line, to compare its affects to EGCG alone. The effects of these molecules on cells can be detected using confocal microscopy. Using these techniques, we hope to find more EGCG carbon dots present in the HT22 cells than EGCG alone. Therefore, proving it a more effective molecule for treating inflammation.  

 

Study of the Sequence and Function of Yeast Cell  SEF1 Gene

Author: Lilli Thomas  |  Advisor: Dr. Emily Dixon
For my project, I am building on work from previous students to examine the location and role of the SEF1 transcription factor, a gene with an unknown function. SEF1 stands for suppressor of essential function, but its role in the cell and its location in the cell, although hypothesized to be in the nucleus, remain undiscovered. To understand more about its function, previous students tested the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells in different conditions and controls and sent the cells out for sequencing. Through this project, I am working to examine these sequencing results and gather an understanding of when this transcription factor operates to better hypothesize its function. I hope to determine which genes are turned on and off under different growth conditions to gain an understanding of when and how SEF1 operates.  

 

Development & Evaluation of a Low-Cost Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC)  Sensor System for Trigger Sampling in Indoor and Workplace Exposure Assessment

Author: Nathan Bignan  |  Advisor: Dr. Matthew Skeels  
My project focuses on the development and evaluation of a low-cost Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) sensor system for trigger-based air sampling to improve indoor and workplace exposure assessment. Unlike conventional sensing equipment which is only able to capture average air composition over time, this system is designed to capture emission concentrations at the point of exposure for a better representation of workplace exposure. This system will investigate stationary as well as a body-worn configurations to better understand the exposures a mobile subject may experience in their workplace. This project will also support the St. Lawrence Chemistry Department in obtaining EPA certification for continued DCM (methylene chloride) usage. In 2024 the EPA has recently released new regulations regarding the use of methylene chloride due to links to cancer. Thus, the project aims to demonstrate exposure amounts of methylene chloride are within the new regulations, document the control systems in place for exposure and assist in implementing TSCA chemical management plan for further DCM usage.