Research
The main focus of our research group is to develop analytical methods for:
- monitoring chemical pollutants, which negatively affect public health and the environment (air, water, soil and sediment media) and investigating the efficiency of possible removal/remediation techniques for these compounds.
- measuring/monitoring drugs in pharmaceutical products and biological media (in-vitro and in-vivo).
- analyzing flavors/off-flavors and toxic compounds (e.g. pesticides and preservatives) in food samples.
- analyzing organic compounds such as fragrances emitted from living flowers and plants.
The analytical techniques and instrumentations being used are solvent-free sampling/sample preparation techniques such as solid phase microextraction and needle trap devices, coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); as well as spectroscopic instruments.
Conferences
- G. Peterson, T. Jones, D. Rispoli, D. Stitt, S. Haddadi, and V. Niri, Monitoring Volatile Organic Compound Removal by Common Indoor Plants Using Solid Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, 252nd American Chemical Society National Meeting,Philadelphia, PA, August 21-25, 2016.
- J. Calvert, H. Posada, and V. Niri, Analyzing heavy metals in the soil samples of local farms in Oswego NY, ACS Northeast Regional Meeting 2016, Binghamton, NY, October 5-8, 2016.
- G. Peterson, A. Donahoe, and V. Niri, Chemical Analysis of Electronic Cigarettes Using Solid Phase Microextraction and Needle Trap Device Coupled to Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, 250th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 16-20, 2015.
- H. Posada, J. Calvert, and V. Niri, Analyzing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Drinking Water in Oswego City, SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, The College at Brockport, Brockport, NY, April 10, 2015.
Education
Post-doctoral fellow, University of North Dakota, 2009-2010 Post-doctoral fellow, University of Waterloo, 2004-2008 Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, University of Tabriz