Two Colby scientists are participating on the Great Belt Cruise with Bigelow.
Whitney King ([email protected]) is the Miselis Professor of Chemistry at Colby where he has been teaching analytical and environmental chemistry for over twenty years. Whitney’s research group develops and builds analytical instruments for ultra-trace analysis of Fe(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Cr(III), HOOH, superoxide, and phosphate in natural waters. Two of these systems will be used on the Great Belt Cruise for the analysis of iron (see details on Ben Twinings research), hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and bulk antioxidant levels.
Reactive oxygen species like hydrogen peroxide and superoxide can have significant influence on the chemistry of iron through the redox cycling of Fe(III) to Fe(II) and back to Fe(III). These processes may be most important in cold water where iron oxidation rates are slow. The King group is also working with the Wells and Tripp groups at the University of Maine to develop novel sensors for iron in the ocean based on the specific interaction of DFB with Fe(III). This cruise is a great opportunity for Whitney to gain experience in ultra-trace sampling of metals in the context of his ongoing sensor development research.
In the last ten years the King group’s field work has been focused on the Belgrade Lakes of Central Maine. The Maine lakes are frozen this time of year and Whitney looks forward to the “warmer” field work in the South Atlantic.
Annie Warner ([email protected]) is a recent graduate of Colby College.
After finishing school this December, Annie looks forward to applying the skills that she gained at Colby to the research that she will do on the R/V Melville. Annie graduated as an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Marine Science. She had the opportunity to spend two weeks offshore on the SSV Corwith Cramer during her junior year, as a part of her semester at Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program. Annie is excited to go back out to sea and to work with Barney Balch and all the Bigelow scientists on the Great Belt Cruise.
For more information on the other sceintists on the cruise please visit the Bigelow Meet the Scientists page.
