Principal Research Interests

There is a continuing need for the development of improved methods for the determination of trace species in complex matrices in support of problem solving in areas related to nutrition, clinical studies, environmental contamination and the biogeochemical cycling of key elements, including aluminum, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and selenium. In the past, my group has worked with microfluidic technologies--flow injection, continuous flow and liquid chromatography--together with element-specific detection (based on optical and mass atomic spectrometry) with pretreatment by solid-phase extraction and vapor generation. We have also worked on the determination of anions by molecular spectrometry, electrochemistry and quartz crystal microgravimetry. Sample materials also include, foods, beverages, dietary supplements, and clinical materials. Professor Uden collaborated on many projects. Now that I have emeritus status, our focus is on the development of low-cost (field-portable) methods for the determination of inorganic arsenic in waters and rice. In the past, research projects involved academic visitors, postdocs, graduate students, undergraduates, and K-12 students and their teachers. Currently, only undergraduates, high school students and one teacher are involved. We are collaborating with Chemists Without Borders on some of these projects. See http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/measuring-arsenic-bangladesh%E2%80%99s-rice-crops