Faculty Sponsor

Christopher Iceman

College

College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)

Department/Program

Chemistry

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 7-22-2026

Abstract

Before Fall 2025, Dr. Iceman’s research students utilized Argonne National Labs’ Beamline to determine the contents of air samples for a wider air quality study.  The research cohort’s use of the beamline ceased, following scheduling and fiscal concerns, and with it the research on air quality.  Valparaiso University is in possession of an XL3t XRF Analyzer, which can be used to quantitatively measure the concentration of a range of elements in a sample.  For proper use, the instrument must be calibrated in such a way that the user knows the accuracy and precision of its readings.  Sets of vapor-deposited standards from Micromatter® were run on four x-ray filter ranges to calibrate the instrument.  The readings of each element were taken in a ratio with the sample’s deposition density to determine how much of the sample was being exposed.  Following the first trial run, the calibration range was determined to run from Potassium (Z=19) to Barium (Z=56), but after further analysis was done, the range was constructed from Phosphorus (Z=15) to Silver (Z=47).

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Cooper Scroggin is a sophomore chemistry major with minors in mathematics and physics at Valparaiso University.  He started working with Dr. Christopher Iceman in the fall of 2025 on the project that he concluded this summer.  He plans to attend graduate school and become a materials chemist.

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