Project Type
Poster
Publication Date
4-14-2022
Department or Program
Chemistry and Physics
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor #1
Reif, Randall
Abstract
Groundwater samples from Louisa County contain high unknown quantities of iron, resulting in red rust-stained sediments in areas with constant water. This leads to concern over the amount of Fe that contaminates the water, as the WHO suggests levels below 0.3 mg/L, while levels in groundwater can be as high as 5 mg/L. The unknown concentrations of iron can be evaluated through the use of UV-Vis spectroscopy. A set of Fe standards was created using a known concentration (2.5-100 μM) which combined with phenathroline to create an orange ferroin complex, in addtion to hydroxylamine and acetate buffer. The ferroin complex was measured and a calibration curve was constructed in order to determine the unknown concentrations of Fe in both a filtered water sample and a groundwater sample. These samples were also run on an ICP-AES because of its lower detection capabilities. Results for both studies will be presented.