Metals in the Pine River: An Undergraduate Field Research Experience

Abstract

The Pine River in Central Michigan serves as an outdoor laboratory in a wide variety of disciplines for undergraduate students at nearby Alma College. Students in chemistry have evaluated how local industry has impacted water quality and river sediments by analyzing metals (e.g., iron, lead, chromium) using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Although the results generated are not unusual, the publicity created by the student work has caused both industry and regulatory agencies to begin remediation at several sites.

Keywords:

• Pine River
• Undergraduate field research
• Metals analysis
• Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy
• Gratist County, Michigan

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to all the students who put in long hard hours over the years to accomplish the work described herein. Without them, the local community would not be where it is in relation to the various cleanup projects currently ongoing. I thank Acissia Barnard (1994), Mark Brewster (1999), Richard Buszek (1999), Sarah Cable (1997), Steve Chovanec (1992), Derek Finkbeiner (2002), Grant Fry (1978), Heather Gott (2002), Carrie Kaminski (1999), Catherine Leonard (1996), Rebecca Logan (2003), Kevin Metz (1999), Matt Piper (2002) and Sumit Yadam (2004). I also appreciate the support of my colleagues in the Environmental Studies program for ideas, students, and assistance. Ed Lorenz (Political Science), Murray Borrello (Geology), and Richard Roeper (ret.) (Biology) are frequent collaborators as students move between our projects and gain a broader knowledge of the environment and ways they can have a real impact on outcomes. I also would like to thank Alma College and the Department of Chemistry for their support over the years. Many of the modern instruments used by the students are a result of fund‐raising on the part of the college.