Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
127
Start Date
4-5-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
4-5-2017 1:45 PM
Department
Chemistry
Abstract
An assortment of over one hundred sand samples collected by Peter Viemeister in his travels all over the world was donated to the Lynchburg College School of Sciences by his wife after his passing in the hopes that students and faculty alike would find the collection to be useful. This sand collection is on display inside a glass case in Hobbs-Sigler Hall and is a source of beauty due to the multitude of vibrant colors and textures of the sands. In this research, an elemental analysis of a select number of the sand samples of historical interest was conducted to better understand the source of the sand’s beautiful colors. Sand samples were prepared for analysis using a microwave digestion system and subjected to microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectroscopy for quantifying metal content. The results of the analysis of select sands collected from locations such as an ancient Mayan ceremonial site, a copper mine, and others will be shared.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Priscilla Gannicott
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Elemental Analysis of the Viemeister Sand Collection by Microwave-Induced Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry
An assortment of over one hundred sand samples collected by Peter Viemeister in his travels all over the world was donated to the Lynchburg College School of Sciences by his wife after his passing in the hopes that students and faculty alike would find the collection to be useful. This sand collection is on display inside a glass case in Hobbs-Sigler Hall and is a source of beauty due to the multitude of vibrant colors and textures of the sands. In this research, an elemental analysis of a select number of the sand samples of historical interest was conducted to better understand the source of the sand’s beautiful colors. Sand samples were prepared for analysis using a microwave digestion system and subjected to microwave-induced plasma atomic emission spectroscopy for quantifying metal content. The results of the analysis of select sands collected from locations such as an ancient Mayan ceremonial site, a copper mine, and others will be shared.