Lecture meets 3 times per week for 50 minutes per meeting for 15 weeks
Specific course information
Catalog description: This course will focus on evaluating how specific analytical techniques can be used to assess the composition of solutions and materials of environmental concern in both clean and complex matrices. A discussion of different analytical tools including (i) spectrophotometry, (ii) liquid chromatography, (iii) gas chromatography, and (iv) mass spectrometry will be provided. Additional material will cover the computational and statistical tools needed for assessing analytical data. Exposure to how to the analytical tools work and data processing will be introduced intermittently to compliment lecture topics. The class though will culminate in a literature review and presentation in which various analytical methods will be cross-compared to assess contaminants of concern in various types of environmental matrices.
Prerequisites: None
Course status: Optional course
Specific goals for the course
Student learning outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course the student shall be able to:
Evaluate the advantages and limitations of the analytical methods discussed in class
Apply appropriate computational and statistical tools to assess analytical data
Design troubleshooting strategies for common systematic errors associated with instrumental operations
Critically evaluate peer-reviewed literature that applies existing and novel analytical tools to investigate important scientific questions in the environmental science and engineering fields.
Gain a basic understanding of how to process environmental samples and operate and maintain various chromatography and mass spectrometry-based analytical tools
Advance their scientific written and spoken communication skills
Relationship of course to program outcomes
Outcome 1: An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics.
Outcome 5: An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
Topics
Introduction
Propagation of Error and Statistics
Calibration curves, Qualitative Assurance and Quality Control, Standard Addition
