NRES 351, Environmental Chemistry

NRES 487, Soil Chemistry

NRES 285/499, Introduction to Mössbauer Spectroscopy in Environmental Science

Will be taught during the last 8 weeks of Fall Semester, 2006, beginning October 16th in Room N-120 Turner Hall, Tuesday 12-12:50, Thursday 12:00-1:50 pm

Course Objective:

Provide the student with a basic understanding of and appreciation for the power of using Mössbauer Spectroscopy to study Fe in the environment. Students will be given hands-on practical experience with the instrument and will be shown how to interpret the spectra of environmental samples. Provision will be made so either undergraduate or graduate students may receive credit for the course.

Topics Covered:

• Chronology of The Mössbauer Effect Discovery
• Physical Fundamentals of Mössbauer Spectroscopy
• Instrumentation
• Mössbauer Isotopes (Fe, Sn, Sb)
• Interpreting Spectra
• Quadrupole Splitting and Hyperfine Field Distributions
• Spectral Assignments
• The Most Common Patterns for Geomaterials
• Strategy for Delineating the Iron Forms in Complex Samples

Background needed:

• One year of introductory chemistry
• Basic knowledge of physics
• Introductory soils is desirable

Format:

• Multi-media Presentations
• Laboratory and Lecture
• One or two unknown samples will be identified by each student.

Text:

• Mössbauer Spectroscopy: A Laboratory Guide for Students, J. D. Fabris and J. W. Stucki

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