The Analytical Chemistry Division has an ongoing program to improve the quality of analytical chemical measurements made in marine environmental research through analytical methods development, measurement quality assurance programs, and environmental specimen banking. Research involving trace element measurements focuses on developing and modifying inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrochemical techniques to improve quantification of metals in marine environmental samples including sediment and biota. Research interests include (1) mercury analysis in biological tissues and fluids (e.g., marine mammal liver, blood, seabird eggs, and fish) using high accuracy cold vapor isotope dilution-ICP mass spectrometry (MS), (2) fundamental research on hyphenated analysis techniques such as liquid chromatography coupled to ICP-MS in the context of preserving and quantifying chemical species in fresh-frozen reference materials, and (3) development of instrumentation and validation strategies that improve chemical measurements of trace metal contaminants in coastal habitats. For organic measurements, research focuses on the use of gas chromatography with various types of detection such as mass MS and electron capture for the determination of persistent organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, chlorinated pesticides, and organometal species such as methyl-mercury and butyltins. Current research interests also include the measurement of other organic contaminants, such as toxaphene, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated naphthalenes, and fluorinated hydrocarbons in marine environmental samples. Environmental research studies involving the analytical characterization of marine environmental specimens archived in the NIST National Biomonitoring Specimen Bank are encouraged.

 

key words

Bioaccumulation; Environmental chemistry; Gas chromatography; Marine mammal; Mass spectrometry; Pollution; Reference materials;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral applicants