Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this community

https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/handle/mtsu/3

Browse

Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Department "Chemistry"
  • Item
    A COBALT OXIDE CARBON NANOTUBE COMPOSITE FOR DOPAMINE DETECTION
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2018) Kader, Mohammad Salauddin ; Chemistry
    Dopamine (DA) is a catecholamine and performs as a neurotransmitter in the human body. Dopamine plays an important role in the process of many biological networks. Research showed that unusual amounts of DA can cause several neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and other mental disorder. Cobalt oxide (CoO) particles were tethered to carboxylic-acid-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWNT) using sonication. The resulting composite (CoO/COOH-MWNT) was applied to glassy carbon electrodes for detecting DA within the 0.5-5 µM range and 10-100 µM range. Current versus concentration was measured using cyclic voltammetry. Different parameters such as loading, pH and sonication times (0 to 60 min) were varied to optimize current response. Good selectivity was found against uric acid and ascorbic acid. The (CoO/COOH-MWNT) composite was characterized by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), Raman spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
  • Item
    Ab initio analysis of the energy and geometry during the rearrangement of cyclopentadienylboranes and the evaluation of the dapsic computer tutorial.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1999) Hill, Brian ; Chemistry
    The equilibrium and transition state geometries of the degenerate 1,5-sigmatropic rearrangement of cyclopentadienylborane, cyclopentadienyldifluroborane, cyclopentadienyldichloroborane, pentamethylcyclopentadienylborane, pentamethylcyclopentadienyldifluroborane, and pentarnethylcyclopentadienyldichloroborane were optimized using ab initio (RHF/3-21G*, RHF/6-31G*, RMP2/3-21G*, and RMP2/6-31G*) calculations. Activation energies were predicted and compared with previously published experimental data [P. Jutzi, B. Krato, M. Hursthouse, A. J. Howes, Chem. Ber. (1987), 120, 565--574.] The molecule optimized to an asymmetrical geometry with the boron atom shifted away from its symmetric h1 position and toward one of the two neighboring carbons. This geometry was predicted for each molecule at each level of theory except for C 5H5BH2 at the RMP2/6-31G* level and C5H 5BH2 at the RHF/6-31G* level. This geometry was also predicted for bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)fluoroborane.
  • Item
    ADDITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE FROM ALASKA PEA SEEDS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-04-17) Alruwaili, Awatif Hanif ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Donald ; Miller, Justin ; Chemistry
    Adenosine nucleosidase was purified from Alaska pea seeds six days after germination. A 3-fold purification has been reached with a 0.56 % recovery. The purification scheme involved ammonium sulfate precipitation between 30% and 60% saturation, followed by ion exchange chromatography on a DEAE column. A final chromatography step used a hydroxyapatite column. The subunit molecular weight of adenosine nucleosidase was determined by SDS-PAGE to be 26.7 kD. The Michaelis constant, Km, and the maximum velocity, V max, for inosine were determined to be 377.7 141.7 M and 0.00078 0.000106 M/min respectively.
  • Item
    ADDITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE FROM ALASKA PEA SEEDS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-04-17) Alruwaili, Awatif Hanif ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Donald ; Miller, Justin ; Chemistry
    Adenosine nucleosidase was purified from Alaska pea seeds six days after germination. A 3-fold purification has been reached with a 0.56 % recovery. The purification scheme involved ammonium sulfate precipitation between 30% and 60% saturation, followed by ion exchange chromatography on a DEAE column. A final chromatography step used a hydroxyapatite column. The subunit molecular weight of adenosine nucleosidase was determined by SDS-PAGE to be 26.7 kD. The Michaelis constant, Km, and the maximum velocity, V max, for inosine were determined to be 377.7 141.7 M and 0.00078 0.000106 M/min respectively.
  • Item
    ADDITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE FROM ALASKA PEA SEEDS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-04-17) Alruwaili, Awatif Hanif ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Donald ; Miller, Justin ; Chemistry
    Adenosine nucleosidase was purified from Alaska pea seeds six days after germination. A 3-fold purification has been reached with a 0.56 % recovery. The purification scheme involved ammonium sulfate precipitation between 30% and 60% saturation, followed by ion exchange chromatography on a DEAE column. A final chromatography step used a hydroxyapatite column. The subunit molecular weight of adenosine nucleosidase was determined by SDS-PAGE to be 26.7 kD. The Michaelis constant, Km, and the maximum velocity, V max, for inosine were determined to be 377.7 141.7 M and 0.00078 0.000106 M/min respectively.
  • Item
    Adenosine Deaminating/ Hydrolyzing Enzymes from Alaska pea seeds (Pisum sativum)
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-07-17) Thicklin, Lendsey Breanna ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Andrew ; Miller, Justin ; Chemistry
    Nucleoside deaminases and nucleoside hydrolases are essential within the purine salvage pathway to recycle purine bases to promote cellular functions such as DNA synthesis, cytokinin metabolism, and more. Plants such as the Alaska pea (Pisum sativum) rely heavily on these enzymes, yet the enzymatic and structural characterizations of these proteins are limited. A 67 kilodalton (kDa) protein was isolated from germinated Alaska pea seeds with a 103 fold purification and 2.8 % recovery. The analysis of the enzymatic activity of this protein revealed adenosine is metabolized to inosine, adenine, and hypoxanthine suggesting a bifunctional enzyme combining nucleosidase and deaminase activities. This dimeric protein had an inosine Michaelis constant of 268 μM 78 μM. The optimum pH for enzymatic activity was determined to be pH 6. Research involving plant based nucleoside deaminases and nucleoside hydrolases can provide an origin of reference in the development of compounds that can be used as herbicides.
  • Item
    Adenosine Deaminating/ Hydrolyzing Enzymes from Alaska pea seeds (Pisum sativum)
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-07-17) Thicklin, Lendsey Breanna ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Andrew ; Miller, Justin ; Chemistry
    Nucleoside deaminases and nucleoside hydrolases are essential within the purine salvage pathway to recycle purine bases to promote cellular functions such as DNA synthesis, cytokinin metabolism, and more. Plants such as the Alaska pea (Pisum sativum) rely heavily on these enzymes, yet the enzymatic and structural characterizations of these proteins are limited. A 67 kilodalton (kDa) protein was isolated from germinated Alaska pea seeds with a 103 fold purification and 2.8 % recovery. The analysis of the enzymatic activity of this protein revealed adenosine is metabolized to inosine, adenine, and hypoxanthine suggesting a bifunctional enzyme combining nucleosidase and deaminase activities. This dimeric protein had an inosine Michaelis constant of 268 μM 78 μM. The optimum pH for enzymatic activity was determined to be pH 6. Research involving plant based nucleoside deaminases and nucleoside hydrolases can provide an origin of reference in the development of compounds that can be used as herbicides.
  • Item
    ALKYLATION OF 2,4,5-TRIIODOIMIDAZOLE MOLECULES
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2015-02-01) Griffiths, Elsbeth Ariel ; Handy, Scott ; Bicker, Kevin ; Dunlap, Norma ; Van Patten, Greg ; Chemistry
    Alkylated 2,4,5,-triiodoimidazole molecules could be of interesting in a variety of situations, including pharmaceuticals and complex molecule synthesis. The most obvious route to such compounds is the alkylation of 2,4,5-triiodoimidazoles with alkyl halides. Interestingly, little has been reported in this area. In conjunction with our interest in highly iodinated compounds, we undertook a study of this alkylation. Reactions of various types of alkyl halides were studied. In most cases, reactions were performed at room temperature in dimethylformamide (DMF) with potassium carbonate, although some less reactive alkyl halides required heating. The future goal is to use these alkylated triiodoimidazoles in energetic and biological applications. In an attempt to synthesize energetic binders to replace current isocyanate-based binders, my target begins with 2,4,5-triiodoimidazole which is alkylated on one of the nitrogens using allyl bromide. The tethered alkene can be later used to crosslink the final polymer, replacing the isocyanate crosslinker. These energetic binders make transporting volatile materials safer. This stabilization is provided by a surrounding structure of the binder molecule, that upon crosslinking will combine to become larger units. The resulting matrix makes the explosive more thermodynamically stable by being able to absorb more shock.
  • Item
    AMINO ACID SEQUENCE OF NUCLEOSIDE HYDROLASES FROM PLANTS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2014-06-24) Ogorodnik, Kateryna V. ; Kline, Paul ; Burden, Donald ; Farone, Mary ; Chemistry
    Nucleoside hydrolases are key enzymes of the purine salvage pathways of various bacteria, yeast, parasitic protozoa, insects, fish, and plants. While the structures of nucleoside hydrolases from parasitic protozoans have been extensively studied, almost no structural information beyond subunit molecular weights is available for nucleoside hydrolases from plants.
  • Item
    Analysis of Static Correlation using Atomic Populations of Effectively Localized Electrons (APELE)
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2019) Lewis, Conrad Dane ; Chemistry
    Static or nondynamic correlation is an effect where the single-reference approximation fails to adequately describe a molecular system.1 Systems dominated by nondynamic correlation require multi-reference (MR) methods, such as full-configuration interaction (FCI) or multi-configurational self-consistent field theory (MCSCF), which are impractical for most systems due to their high computational complexity. Most functionals in Density Functional Theory (DFT) fail to describe such systems due to the ever-elusive exchange-correlation term (EXC).2,3 In order to avoid using MR methods a number of diagnostics have been proposed that allow the user to determine the quality of their single-reference solution.4{7 It has been show through preliminary tests that some of these diagnostics prove not to be size-extensive, while simultaneously being computationally complex themselves. Using the Kong-Proynov ‘16 / Becke ‘13 (KP16/B13) functional, atomic populations of effectively localized electrons (APELE) are generated and compared against current diagnostics to estimate nondynamic correlation.1,8 It is also shown that the APELE method is size-extensive and correlates well with wave-function based diagnostics.
  • Item
    ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs) FROM HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FACILITIES IN KARNES COUNTY, TEXAS AND IDENTIFICATION OF VOCs IN SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-11-12) Keith, Ki-In ; Chong, Ngee ; Burden, Donald ; Wang, Chengshan ; Chemistry
    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by several sources and have the ability to cause short and long-term adverse health effects. In Karnes County, Texas, a high activity of hydraulic fracturing on the Eagle Ford Shale is the major source of VOC emissions. In Shelby County, Tennessee, automobile exhaust, household products, and industrial facilities are the main sources of VOC emissions. Air samples were collected in Karnes County and Shelby County and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with a cryogenic preconcentrator outfitted with a glass bead trap and a Tenax trap. The EPA TO-15 method was applied to analyze TO-15 compounds in Karnes County and non-TO-15 compounds in Shelby County. Samples collected in Karnes County were also analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) with a 10-meter gas cell to detect low molecular weight compounds. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and methane were commonly detected compounds near oil and gas facilities in Karnes County, Texas. In Shelby County, Tennessee, acetonitrile, cyclohexene, and cyclohexanone were frequently detected at relatively high concentrations.
  • Item
    ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN AIR SAMPLES BY INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF SORBENT TUBE SAMPLES
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2013-12-03) Lampert, Craig Allen ; Chong, Ngee ; WANG, CHENGSHAN ; DING, KEYING ; Chemistry
    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have typically been analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which offers low detection limits and high specificity in identifying compound structures. FTIR has the advantage of high speed, internally calibrated, and sensitive for analyte detection down to parts-per-billion levels. FTIR can also analyze multiple components simultaneously by spectral deconvolution. Preconcentration with a sorbent tube is prescribed by the EPA method and offers a better option for environmental samples because the concentrations of analytes tend to be significantly lower in the ambient air than industrial emission sources. The research goal of this project is to develop a method for analyzing low molecular weight VOCs with the use of sorbent tube technology in conjunction with a Varian 7000 FTIR. For future work, the technology developed through this research can be combined with remotely controlled sampling modes to facilitate airborne sampling at high altitudes or near industrial emission stacks.
  • Item
    The capillary gas chromatographic profiling of human skin surface lipids for forensic application.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1986) Wilson, Linda ; Chemistry
    Profile analysis has been applied to the study of human skin surface lipids (SSL) to determine their utility in forensic applications. SSL were collected from the forehead and cheek of 23 volunteers. A pentane extract was analyzed by split injection capillary gas chromatography (GC). A 25-meter long, 0.2-mm-I.D. BP-5 fused silica capillary column was programmed from 80(DEGREES)C to 260(DEGREES)C at 10(DEGREES)C/min and then to 290(DEGREES)C at 3(DEGREES)C/min. The temperature was held at 290(DEGREES)C for 47 minutes for a total run time of 75 minutes.
  • Item
    CHARACTERIZATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE FROM ALASKA PEA SEEDS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2015-06-22) Shamsuddin, Abdullah Khairuddin ; kline, paul ; burden, donald ; bicker, kevin ; Chemistry
    Adenosine nucleosidase was purified from Alaska pea seeds five days after germination. A 4-fold purification has been reached with a 1.3 % recovery. The subunit molecular weight of adenosine nucleosidase was determined by mass spectrometry to be 26,103 daltons. The number of subunits was 1. The Michaelis constant, Km, and the maximum velocity, V max, for adenosine were determined to be 137 48 M, and 0.34 0.02 M/min respectively.
  • Item
    Characterization of adenosine nucleosidase from Lupinus lutens L.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1998) Mcdonald, Nancy ; Chemistry
    Adenosine nucleosidase (EC 3.2.2.7), a key enzyme in metabolism of purines and plant growth regulators, catalyzes the irreversible hydrolysis of adenosine to yield adenine and ribose. Adenosine nucleosidase had previously been isolated by Abusamhadneh and obtained in a high state of purity from yellow lupin seeds after four days of germination. A final purification step using an {dollar}\omega{dollar}-aminohexyl agarose column resulted in an enzyme of sufficient purity for further characterization of the enzyme.
  • Item
    CHARACTERIZATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE FROM SOYBEAN SEEDS (Glycine max L.)
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2013-11-13) JarAllah, Lola ; Kline, Dr. Paul ; Chemistry
    The nucleoside salvage pathway plays a key role in the growth and development of plants. The activities of several enzymes of the nucleoside salvage pathway were determined in germinated soybean seeds. One of these enzymes, adenosine nucleosidase, was purified 5 days after germination period. The purification scheme consisted of ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography, size exclusion, and aminohexyl chromatography. The enzyme was then characterized with regard to its isoelectric point and subunit molecular weight. Adenosine nucleosidase from soybean seeds was determined to most likely be a multimeric enzyme with a subunit molecular weight of approximately 18,000 Da based on SDS-PAGE.
  • Item
    Characterizing the learning styles and testing the science-related attitudes of African American middle school students: implications for the underrepresentation of African Americans in the sciences.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2003) Perine, Donald ; Chemistry
    African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and women are underrepresented among the population of scientists and science teachers in the United States. Specifically, the shortage of African Americans teaching math and science at all levels of the educational process and going into the many science-related fields is manifested throughout the entire educational and career structure of our society. This shortage exists when compared to the total population of African Americans in this country, the population of African American students, and to society's demand for more math and science teachers and professionals of all races.
  • Item
    Characterizing the successful student in general chemistry and physical science classes in terms of Jung's personality types as identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1998) Riley, Wayne ; Chemistry
    A student's success in a science class can depend upon previous experiences, motivation, and the level of interest in the subject. Since psychological type is intrinsic to a person's whole being, it can be influential upon the student's motivation and interests. Thus, a study of student psychological types versus the level of success in a class, as measured by a percentage, has potential to uncover certain personality characteristics which may be helpful to or which may hinder a student's learning environment. This study was initiated, using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, to evaluate any correlation between a student's personality type and his/her performance in a science class. A total of 1041 students from three classes: Chemistry 121/122, Chemistry 112, Physical Science 100, volunteered for the study. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the levels of significance among sixteen personality types' averages. The results reveal that for the Chemistry 1121/122 course, the average score of the INTJ personality type was 5.1 to 12.6 points higher than every other personality type. The ANOVA identifies 3 personality types with averages significantly below the INTJ at the p {dollar} less than {dollar} 0.05 significance level. The ANOVA analysis for the Chemistry 112 course identified significances between student scores at p = 0.08. The significance level for the differences among scores for the Physical Science 100 course was determined at a level of p = 0.02. Significance levels for p {dollar} less than {dollar} 0.05 and {dollar} less than {dollar}0.01 were identified between several groups in this course. The data suggest, that although personality type may not predict a particular student's success in a science class, students with certain personality traits may be favored in a chemistry class due the structure of the instruction and the presentation of the subject matter.
  • Item
    Chemistry Teachers’ Journey through Modeling Instruction: From Workshop to Classroom
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2016-03-25) Frick, Tasha M. ; Phelps, Amy ; Sanger, Michael ; Handy, Scott ; Chemistry
    This presentation will feature case study research that describes the difficulties that four high school chemistry teachers faced while implementing Modeling Instruction into their classrooms. Modeling Instruction is characterized by the development of understanding through cooperative inquiry and collective discourse on a path from concrete to abstract. The complications in transforming a classroom from traditional teacher centered methods to one which focuses on the use of student-centered Modeling Instruction will be thoroughly investigated through the stories of each of the participants. The study begins with observations of the teachers prior to the introduction of Modeling Instruction and follows them into the professional development in the summer, the initial use in the fall term, a follow-up workshop, and finally back into the classrooms. The enlightening findings highlight the difficulties teachers had in aligning the standards, and developing a scope and sequence, as well as reconciling their beliefs about student ability.
  • Item
    Comparison of Chlorine Dioxide and Ozone as Oxidants for the Degradation of Volatile Organic Compounds
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2018) Hoque, Md Abdul ; Chemistry
    The presence of hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in both indoor and outdoor air is a grave issue in environmental pollution. The exposure of these compounds may cause chronic disease or adverse effects in humans. The major sources of these toxic compounds are due to improper waste disposal by chemical manufacturers, the waste stream from food processing, industrial sources, and decay of living cells. Therefore, the reduction of VOCs by oxidative reactions is the primary goal of this thesis project. Both chlorine dioxide and ozone are used to evaluate the degradation characteristics of dimethyl trisulfide, isoprene, 1-bromopropane, 2,3-butanedione, and 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were used to characterize the gas phase reaction products of these compounds. The results show that dimethyl trisulfide and isoprene were substantially degraded into other by-products, including methane sulfonyl chloride and sulfur dioxide, during oxidation by chlorine dioxide and ozone, respectively. In contrast, 1-bromopropane, 2,3-butanedione and 1,1,2-trichloroethane have slow reaction kinetics and did not break down completely. Degradation of dimethyl trisulfide by chlorine dioxide and ozone follows the second-order kinetics with half-lives of 2.2 min and 24 min, respectively. On the other hand, isoprene follows the first order reaction kinetics with rate constants of 0.4051 min-1 and 0.02244 min-1 and half-lives of 1.73 min and 32 min for degradation using ozone and chlorine dioxide, respectively. The oxidative degradation of 1-bromopropane, dimethyl trisulfide, and 2,3-butanedione by chlorine dioxide was more efficient than their reactions with ozone. However, the degradation of isoprene and 1,1,2-trichloroethane showed a greater reactivity toward ozone compared to chlorine dioxide. Most of the reaction products of oxidative degradation such as acetone, ethanol, formic acid, and dimethyl ether are chemically benign. But there are also by-products such as methane sulfonyl chloride, sulfur dioxide, chloroform, and cyanogen bromide that require further toxicological study.