Degree: MSc candidate, Faculty of Science.   

Hometown: St. Catharines, Ontario

Contact information: scot7310@wlu.ca

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Education:  
B.Sc 2008 Wilfrid Laurier University

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Job history: 1 paragraph (optional).
From September of 2007 up until May of 2008 I was employed to do research in Dr. Vladimir Kitaev's laboratory at Wilfrid Laurier University. I focused on developing new, environmentally friendly procedures to make silver nanoparticles of various shapes and sizes, while exploring new techniques to increase monodispersity. I  presented my results to the WLU Chemistry Department in Winter 2008, as well as at the Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference hosted by Queens in Winter 2008.

Research:

Title of project: The Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent on Fish Reproduction Systems.

Pulp and paper mill effluents are deposited into aquatic environments, such as lakes and rivers, after being used in the plant for processing. These final effluents are known to affect fish reproductive functions by way of decreased gonad and egg size, increased age of maturity, altered expression of secondary sex characteristics, and decreased levels of reproductive sex hormones. My research will focus on isolating and identifying the chemical compounds in the effluent that are responsible for these effects. Solid phase extraction (SPE), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS), gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), among other analytical techniques will be used. Once the causative chemicals have been identified, the next step will be to determine where in the pulp and paper process they are being introduced. Focus will shift to investigating alternative chemical compounds and processes that can replace those currently in place, in an effort to eliminate the negative effects pulp and paper mill effluents have on aquatic life.  

Supervisor(s)/Lab: Dr. Deborah MacLatchy and Dr. Mark Hewitt

Start date of degree: September 2008

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