Learning New Lab Techniques

Hello everyone,

It has been about two months since I’ve begun working on research with Dr. Polidoro’s research team. I’ve learned so much during this time, such as new lab techniques and tools for sampling. We’re currently working on samples collected from the Philippines. These samples are processed by various procedures, in order to identify the particles present in the water. Some of the chemistry procedures I've learned are how to prepare and use drying columns and how to set up the nitrogen evaporator. The drying columns act as a filter for the samples, separating the layers and letting the sampling material through.

While the nitrogen evaporator, concentrates the samples. I’ve also familiarized myself with SPMDs. They are porous tubings that allow us to sample contaminants in water. These pores bind to organic contaminants in the water. They do this in a similar manner as fatty tissues in organisms would to contaminants in their surroundings. 

The SMPD, is the clear tubing. It's wound around
and then placed in a metal container that
 allows for water to flow through.
This is then set at an aquatic site and
 retrieved after some time for testing. 

It’s considered a passive sampling method. By this, it means that they were left in certain sites in the Philippines and for an extended amount of time, then later retrieved. In the lab, we then place the SPMDs in solvent and process, then test the contaminants that it may have absorbed. 

There’s so much more that we’ve also done, but I’m still learning and understanding the purpose for doing these procedures. I’m excited for what I have yet to learn.