Office: Shankweiler 338 Telephone: (484) 664-3266 Email: banderso@muhlenberg.edu Mailing address:     Chemistry Department     Muhlenberg College     2400 Chew Street     Allentown, PA 18104

B.A., McDaniel College

Ph.D., University of Colorado
 

Research Interests:

Fluorescence Spectroscopy – Fluorescence and fluorescence quenching techniques, including resonance energy transfer, are used to investigate a variety of problems with biological or environmental applications.  Current work is examining how soil pollutants such as PAH’s and antibiotics bind to humic acid.  Laser induced fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime measurements will be developed in the near future.

Laser Initiated Reactions – A Nd:YAG laser is used to irradiate a solution of graphite in alcohol and linear polyynes are produced.  Research continues to investigate how to increase the yield of the polyynes and probe the mechanism of polyyne formation.  Another project involves using a carbon dioxide laser to induce reactions in solution.  The products are monitored using GC-MS to see if non-thermal product distributions can be achieved. 

Research Students:

 Victoria Carhart ’08 is investigating the binding of 2-acetonaphthone (a model pollutant) to β-cyclodextrin using fluorescence spectroscopy.  The fluorescence intensity is quenched as the β-cyclodextrin is added and it binds with the 2-acetonaphthone.  The quenching data is acquired as a function of temperature to enable the determination of thermodynamic properties for the binding process.  The data will then be compared to the binding of 2-acetonaphthone to humic acid.

 Amanda Talbi ’08 is studying the laser induced synthesis of linear polyynes from a solution of graphite in alcohol.  After irradiating for an hour with 532 nm light from a Nd:YAG laser, the sample is analyzed with GC-MS to confirm the presence of polyynes.  The dependence of polyyne formation on the nature of the solvent and the carbon source will be investigated.

Recent Student Publications and Presentations:

Christopher Gordon*, B.D. Anderson, “Synthesis of Polyynes through the Laser Ablation of Graphite,” Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, April 2006.

Mackenzie Smith*, B.D. Anderson, “Fluorescence Quenching of PAHs with Humic Acid”, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, September 2005.

Matthew Jakubik*, B.D. Anderson, “Inferring the Bioavailability of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons,” 230^th ACS National Meeting, Washington DC, August 2005.

Courses Taught by Dr. Anderson

   CHM 100   Introductory Chemistry
   CHM 104   General Chemistry I
   CHM 321   Physical Chemistry I
   CHM 322   Physical Chemistry II
   CHM 420   Laser Chemistry