Abstract: Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that removes phosphate groups from many types of molecules, including nucleotides and proteins.  This process is termed dephosphorylation.  In this study, alkaline phosphatase will be characterized under steady-state kinetics.  Studies under these conditions allow the determination of the kinetic parameters: Km, Vmax, and inhibition constants for inhibitors.  These parameters provide important information about how enzymes respond to substrates and inhibitors.  This information allows for the comparison of the enzyme’s kinetic properties to those of other enzymes, which catalyze similar reactions.  Kinetic inhibition studies are important for evaluating the efficiency of pharmaceutical inhibitors as well as their mode of action on enzymes.  In this study, a model substrate, p-nitrophenol phosphate is used to determine alkaline phosphatase’s Km, and Vmax.  The inhibition, by one of its products, phosphate, is also investigated.

Abstract: An electromagnetic conductivity survey (EM survey) measures the electrical conductivity of shallow subsurface features, and can detect metal objects such as tanks and utility lines, as well as conductive landfill and archeological sites.  An EM survey was conducted at Eighty Acres sanitary landfill, supposedly composed principally of organic waste such as leaves and grass clippings, in Bemidji, Minnesota.  The data collected shows that there is a higher overall conductivity in the landfill than the surrounding material.  The data also show an area of particularly high EM conductivity near the southwestern edge of the landfill.  There was also a high in-phase component in at this location which suggests the possible presence buried metallic objects.  This study was successful in locating landfill boundaries as well as potential areas for future investigation.   Further geophysical studies on this area will be done to more fully characterize the environmental impact of the site.

Abstract: Surface and ground waters are frequently contaminated with hazardous organic and inorganic compounds. Effective adsorbents are needed to remove those compounds from waters. Bentonite-xanthan meso-particles will be used to remove model organic compounds, methyl red, from aqueous solution. Meso-particles of varying bentonite/xanthan ration will be prepared under mild conditions. Methyl red concentration will be measured spectrophotometrically before and after adsorption on meso-particles. The optimal removal efficiency of meso-particles will be determined. This project was made possible through Minnesota Space grant consortium and Center for environmental, Earth and Space Studies funding.