The first part of my presentation will focus on the methodologies and analytical tools available to me in Professor Hites laboratory in mid 70's. Surrounded by an elite of postdocs and state-of-the-art instrumentation such as a low-resolution HP 5982 GC/MS with a EI/CI source, a HPLC-UV system and access to a high-resolution (20,000) DuPont 21-110B in Professor Biemann's laboratory, I began my journey to study the biogeochemistry of organic compounds discharged into the Pawtuxet River by the Ciba -Geigy plant in Cranston Rhode Island. To do this, the identities and concentrations of the organic compounds discharged in the plant wastewater, Pawtuxet river water and sediments, and the Narraganset Bay water and sediments were established. The wastewater effluent, although treated by biofiltration, contained the compounds manufactured at the plant (i.e., Tinuvins, Triclosan, Atrazine) plus the byproducts from the synthesis of these compounds. The identification of such byproducts as well as a few interested compounds identified at that time by LC-MS will be presented.  The second part of my presentation will focus on the identification of a few flame retardants in samples of fabric and foam taken from children's car seats, which is part of a collaboration with Professor Hites' researchers. Use of a high-resolution GC/Q-TOF with a chemical ionization source facilitated the identification of these compounds especially when mass spectra obtained in both positive and negative mode were examined in parallel.

My amazing learning experience as a Ph.D. student in Professor Hites' Lab at MIT in the mid 70's

2019 Spring National Meeting

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