Mrs. Dinorah Martinez
University of Puerto Rico, US
Abstract Title: Lead Capture Using Nano Zerovalent Iron Materials for Environmental Remediation Applications
Biography:
Dinorah Martínez Torres is a Ph.D. graduate student from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Under Dr. Carlos R. Cabrera and Dr. Keyla Soto's guidance in Analytical Chemistry, Dinorah has been actively involved in cutting-edge research and has significantly contributed to the field. Her research project focuses on developing innovative nanomaterials, specifically emphasizing their application in environmental remediation. She has a fellow of different programs and agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF-PRLSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate, NSF-CREST, NASA Space Grant, and the Scholarly Partnership in Nuclear Security (SPINS) from the United States Department of Energy. As a graduate student, she is currently president of the Chemistry Graduate Association and is responsible for spearheading various initiatives aimed at improving the academic and social experiences of chemistry graduate students. She actively participates in academic conferences and symposiums. Recently formed part of the Lightsources for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Middle East, and Pacific (LAAAMP) Fast Team New User Award and spent two months working on the Canadian Light Source (CLS) facilities in advance of her research project. She tracked the spatial distribution of metals and iron nanomaterials within plant tissue, measured X-ray emission, and evaluated alternative synthetic methods to produce iron oxides useful in photocatalytic applications. The main objective of her research will be to develop an innovative phytonanoremediation technology using mangroves and nano Zerovalent Iron particles (nZVI) in places highly contaminated with metals such as cadmium and lead.
Research Interest:
While developing suitable options to treat heavy metal contaminants in wastewater, nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles have been found to be an alternative approach to reducing the concentration of several kinds of contaminants. Iron nanoparticles (INps) are a new generation of materials for environmental remediation. This approach provides a real alternative to removing metals, including Pb2+, by using particles at the nanoscale. Our study aims to investigate an innovative strategy for remediating polluted wetlands, combining mangroves and nZVI to remediate lead (Pb) contaminated soil. In this project, we synthesize iron nanoparticles, and a complete characterization of the nZVI is carried out. We evaluate their morphology and composition with Scanning Electron Microscopy with X-ray Fluorescence-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS) and the crystallographic structure with X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis, we assess the Pb uptake of 15 black mangrove "Avicennia germinans" individuals with and without nZVI. Then, we used Synchrotron-based X- ray absorption (XAS) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) techniques to evaluate the oxidation state and mineral species present. Furthermore, we analyze the efficiency of nanoparticle uptake and the mobility of Pb in different plant tissues. Our findings highlight the potential of mangroves combined with nZVI for heavy metal remediation. Future research will explore nanoparticle application optimization and further assess this approach´s efficacy across varying metal concentrations.