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The MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.

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Tag: Environment

An Attractive Way to Recycle

Magnetic fields could lead to a cost-effective solution for recycling plastics.


Terahertz EPR Spectroscopy in the High-Homogeneity 36T Series-Connected Hybrid Magnet

New instrumentation allows electron magnetic resonance experiments to be performed in the lab’s flagship 36 T Series-Connected Hybrid magnet, unlocking exceptionally high-resolution EMR spectra at the highest magnetic fields.


Ancient porphyrins indicate far earlier date for photosynthesis

Molecular fossils of chlorophyll (called porphyrins) more than 1.1 billion years old find suggest that photosynthesis began 600 million years earlier than previously established.


Corrosion Analysis on Acidic Crude Oils using FT-ICR

A new method to characterize crude oil corrosion shows that corrosion in acidic crude oils depends on the specific structures of the acid molecules, information that can help improve oil valuation and refining.


Sunlight Produces Water-Soluble Chemicals from Asphalt

Road asphalt is made from aggregate (rocks) mixed with a "binder” from the residue remaining after extraction of gasoline and oils from petroleum crude oil. Until recently, this binder was thought to be chemically unreactive. Maglab scientists subjected a thin film of asphalt binder to simulated sunlight in the laboratory and used ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry to reveal thousands of new, water-soluble chemicals that could be released into the environment by rainfall.


Makeup of Dissolved Organic Matter in Arctic Rivers

Researchers share new insights on the role of seasonality in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in large Arctic rivers. Researchers share new insights on the role of seasonality in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in large Arctic rivers. 


Pavement Sealant Leaches Environmental Contaminants

New research shows that high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in coal tar pavement sealants are oxidized into toxic, water-soluble compounds by sunlight and subsequently washed into the environment by rainwater, polluting natural water systems, negatively impacting marine ecosystems and public health. 


Highest-Magnetic-Field Ion Cyclotron Resonance Reveals Hidden Complexity of Natural Organic Matter

The 21 T FT-ICR mass spectrometer identified four times the number of species in natural organic matter than lower magnetic field systems, providing a molecular catalogue to a widely-used standard reference material.


Scouring Drinking Water for Disinfection Byproducts

Identification of toxic compounds in drinking water formed through disinfection reveals more than 3500 toxic, chlorinated species that can only be observed by the MagLab's high powered analytical instruments.


Evolution of the Molecules of Life on Distant Planets

The 21T FT-ICR MS instrument enables the molecular characterization of atmospheric hazes - like that on Saturn’s moon, Titan - and water vapor to better understand the evolution of biological molecules in exoplanet atmospheres. 


ICR Applications

These include biological, environmental and petrochemical applications as well as analytical method development for FT-ICR mass spectrometry.


"Molecular Sieves" Could Lead to Much Cheaper Gas Production

Combining high-field NMR with infrared microscopy, scientists learned more about how gas diffuses in a novel class of molecular sieves that could one day be used for gas separation.


CO Oxidation and Mass Transport in Nanoporous Gold using Pulsed Field Gradient NMR

For the first time, NMR diffusion measurements have been successfully used in a metallic catalyst, examining gas exchange rates in nanoporous gold. These findings helped determine an optimal process for efficiently catalyzing CO to CO2 and may help make the catalyst more effective for industrial applications that reduce waste from power plants and refineries.


MagLab’s Newest World-Record Magnet Open for Science

State-of-the-art ion cyclotron resonance magnet system offers researchers significantly more power and accuracy than ever before.


MagLab Chemist Wins Prestigious Career Award

Martha Chacón-Patiño to jump-start collaboration that could advance both the treatment of cancer and the study of petroleum.


MagLab Geochemist Receives High Professional Honor

Vincent Salters joins the elite ranks of American Geophysical Union fellows.


New ‘Architecture’ Discovered in Corn

Findings that “go against the textbooks” may improve biofuel production.


In Ancient Oceans, Oxygen Loss Triggered Mass Extinction

In findings that could shed light on current climate changes, researchers find conclusive evidence linking rising sea levels and lowering oxygen levels to decimation of marine species.


Tropical Soil Disturbance Could be Hidden Source of Carbon Dioxide

Using powerful instruments at the National MagLab, scientists discovered that older dissolved organics from deforested areas were more energy-rich, and potentially more harmful to the planet.


Sun, Rain Transform Asphalt Binder Into Potentially Toxic Compounds

MagLab researchers show that exposure to sun and water causes thousands of chemicals to leach from roads into the environment.


MagLab Researchers Find Oxygen Spike Coincided with Ancient Global Extinction

Researchers believe the ocean oxygenation occurred over a few tens of thousands of years, a very brief period in Earth’s geological history.


Unraveling Pervasive PFAS 'Forever' Chemicals

Learn how the MagLab's high-field magnets are helping uncover the secrets of "forever chemicals."


Chemists Unlock the Key to Improving Biofuel and Biomaterial Production

Researchers reveal how carbohydrates form plant biomass, information that may lead to new biorenewable energy solutions. 


FT-ICR Facility Gets New World-Record Magnet

The MagLab and the Bruker Corporation have installed the world’s first 21 tesla magnet for Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry.


MagLab to analyze environmental impact of Maui wildfires

"We're opening up the world at a molecular level to understand how these fires are going to impact us."


MagLab Celebrates Invention that Transformed Chemistry Research, and the Man Behind it

The first mass spectrum from Fourier-Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance happened in December 1973. The co-inventor went on to build MagLab’s world-renowned program.


MagLab Collaborates on Sustainable Jet Fuel Research

Fuel made from corn harvest waste would reduce greenhouse emissions by 70%.


Cicada Swarm Leads to New Insight on Insect Wings

Thin, flexible, strong: MagLab research on the marvel of insect wings


Getting to the Bottom of Deepwater Horizon’s Impact

Thanks to the MagLab’s expertise and unique instruments, a geochemist finds a treasure trove of oil-spill data buried beneath the sea.


What's in the Water?

Studying dissolved organic matter helps us better understand our diverse and changing planet.


Esprit de Char

Members of a sprawling science team piece together the puzzle of biochar, a promising tool in the fight against global warming.


Carbon in the Congo

Water samples collected from the heart of Africa contain clues about carbon cycling worldwide.


Resilient Reefs

Florida scientists are helping coral protect itself against nitrogen overload.


Scientists Get Down to Earth on Climate Change

Researchers talk about what they're doing outside the lab to protect our planet and how their training as scientists informs those efforts.


Poison in the Pavement

A deeper understanding of petroleum molecules is shedding a harsh light on how some of them behave in our environment.


'Til Death Do They Part?

Some manmade chemicals feature bonds so strong they could last forever. And that's a life-threatening problem.


Ocean's Four: A Science Heist

A team of researchers pulls off a daring data caper in Delaware Bay, swiping secrets about the movement of molecules between air and water.


Meet the 21 Tesla ICR Magnet

Used to perform complex chemical analysis, this magnet offers researchers the world's highest field for ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.


Meet Jenna Luek

A young chemist studying fracking fluid talks about what it's like when science hits close to home.


Ryan Rodgers Makes it Happen

With determination, confidence and a top-notch team, this MagLab chemist exposed the complex secrets of crude oil, busting open a vast, new field.


Climate Change: Past and Future

Thanks to new funding, MagLab geochemist Jeremy Owens will learn more about ancient climate change, extinctions, oxygen levels, and new species to understand future climate impacts. 



Last modified on 10 August 2022