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Inorganics/Radiochemistry
 Inorganics
Contamination from inorganic elements is prevalent in today's
environment. The useful properties of metals give them many industrial and domestic
applications. Because of the toxicity of some of these elements, environmental monitoring
is important to public health. With the use of atomic emission and absorption
spectroscopy, atomic emission mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, and
spectrophotometry, the Inorganics Section in the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Division can quantify any inorganic element in any matrix at virtually any detection
limit. The section's experience in assessing data meets environmental needs and provides a
complete service to the client. Quality control is a part of every analytical system at
SwRI to provide reliable and defensible results.
Michael J.
Dammann,
Acting Manager
Technical strengths include:
- Major and minor elemental analysis to determine the purity of a
product or possible contaminants in samples, such as soil, air, rock, and other geological
materials
- Purity determinations on such materials as chemicals and
chemical products, plastics, ceramics, and silicones
- Full profiles of alloys, metallics, and semimetallics
- Determination of the extent of inorganic contamination in fish
tissue, saltwater, groundwater, biota, and air samples
- Detection of ultra-low-level contamination of elements in
ultra-clean water and reagents used in the semiconductor industry
- Leachability studies on soil and water supplies to determine the
extent of contamination in the surrounding environment
- Toxicity leaching (Environmental Protection Agency method) of
solid waste so landfills adhere to federal regulations
- Studies to determine the in situ guidelines for
biodegradability, as well as determining the degradation products
- Monitor drinking water supplies to maintain acceptable federal
guideline limits for the safety of public health
 Radiochemistry
To meet growing concerns about the radioactive levels in mixed
wastes and other samples, the Radiochemistry Section in the Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering Division has established a dedicated facility to identify and quantify more
than 400 isotopes.
With a broad form Radioactive Materials License issued by the
Texas Department of Public Health, SwRI can collect and store up to 500 milliCuries of a
single radioisotope from atomic numbers 1 through 83.
Michael J.
Dammann,
Acting Manager
Technical strengths include:
- Radioactive tracer studies
- Environmental analysis
- Nuclear medicinal analysis
- Method development
Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Department
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Division
SwRI Technical Divisions
 SwRI Home
November 06, 2009 |