fall 2011 Syllabus
** (PDF) |
| WEEK |
Date |
Topic |
| water
sampling, handling, field measurements and analysis |
| |
| Week 1 |
30 Aug |
Introduction: Lab book
expectations, units and measures, sample collection and stabilization,
lab safety, and development of a hypothesis and sampling scheme |
| Week 2 |
06 Sept |
Field trip #1: Sampling
for cation and anion concentrations; trace metals and field
measurements of alkalinity, temperature, pH, redox potential, and
specific conductance |
| Week 3 |
13 Sept |
Ion chromatography (IC) for
anions, versus a gravimetric method |
| Week 4 |
20 Sept |
Atomic absorption spectrometry
(AAS) for cations and metals |
| Week 5 |
27 Sept |
Trace metals and metal isotopes (visiting instructor, Prof. Wasylenki) |
| Week 6 |
04 Oct |
Data handling and presentation |
| soil sampling, handling, field measurements and analysis |
| Week 7 |
11 Oct |
Field trip #2: Sampling
schemes (profiles, transects, and stream samples) and storage, field
measurements, and descriptions |
| Week 8 |
18 Oct |
Moisture content, sample
ashing, and loss on ignition (LOI).
Sample preparation: crushing and
grinding (contamination sources) |
| Week 9 |
25 Oct |
X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Major
and selected trace element composition by fused disk and pressed powder
pellets |
| Week 10 |
01 Nov |
Eltra carbon (total and organic) and sulfur analysis |
| Week 11 |
08 Nov |
Data handling and presentation |
Image: An organic
carbon-rich paleosol, developed in a Mississippian sequence, KY
Image credit: Erika R. Elswick, 2000-2001
|
| rock
sample handling and analysis |
| Week 12 |
15 Nov |
Wet chemical analysis of
geologic materials–getting the samples into solution |
| Week 13 |
22 Nov |
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP)
analysis of geologic materials – Thanksgiving recess
(lecture only, no labs)
|
| Week 14 |
29 Nov |
Sequential extractions |
| Week 15 |
06 Dec |
Data handling and presentation |
Reserve Readings (Geology Library, 6th Floor, listed under the course number G444):
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater 20th Edition: published by the American Public Health Association, American Waterworks Association and the Water Environment Federation, 1998. QD 142 .A53
Tufte, E., 2001, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Graphics Press. QA276.3 .T83 |
|
Method Papers Due: Tuesday December 13,
by 5:00 pm
|
| Syllabus subject to change.
|