Blogs

During the second week of the program we ran into a problem that postponed the testing for our experiment. The pH meter for the system was unable to measure the pH level and we needed to wait for a new shipment of extras so the computer could read and record our data. So instead of starting the project, I dedicated my time to reading more scientific literature and learning how to use the Lab view program.

Starting out here at the CMOP internship program, I had a lot to get adjusted to in the lab. For the first week here I learned where most items were located in the lab.

This week, I set up the practices I would need to run my experiments. On Monday, I created more MnO₂ and flash dried it to send off to the XRD. I also created known concentrations of 4-chloroaniline solutions to create a calibration curve for the HPLC. Unfortunately, I overlooked a key step in my experimental procedure. When I perform my experiments, the aqueous solution will be extracted from our extraction vessel and diluted to half concentration with methanol. This is because our HPLC runs with 50/50 methanol/water, and we want our sample to match our HPLC’s composition.

Hello, this is Stuart Ness, an undergraduate intern at IEH for the summer of 2014. I will be working this year with my mentor Ali Salter-Blanc studying the Environmental Degradation of Munition Compounds. Specifically, I will be focused on the kinetics of oxidation reactions between MnO₂ and aromatic amines. Various authors have looked at the reactions of specific amines with manganese oxides, but not nearly as comprehensive a set as we hope to study.

I am an undergraduate intern working in Dr. Brad Tebo's lab and my mentor is Dr. Matthew Jones. During the first week I worked on my literature review and learned how to perform a variety of tests. So far I've used oxidation of leucoberbelin blue to measure MnOx, Amplex red and horse radish peroxidase to measure hydrogen peroxide, and formaldoxime to measure the total amount of manganese in a sample. The goal of my project is to study the interactions between manganese, microbes, and oxygen, and an important part of that is being able to measure manganese and various oxygen species.

In the last few decades, the Columbia River has seen a marked decrease in salmonoid populations. The cause of this decline is unknown, but the installation of hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River has changed the water clarity and sedimentation patterns, resulting in a greater contribution by pelagic phytoplankton to river primary production. This caused the food web to shift from being a macrodetritus-based food web to a phytoplankton-based food web.

This is my last blog for CMOP because my six years with the center is coming to an end. It has been the best communications job I've had so far in my career. I was lucky enough to write about some terrific research. Go on cruises and get seasick only once. Learn how to operate a CTD. Photograph CMOP members at their best. Care for the website to keep it looking professional and user friendly. And play a small part in supporting research and education. Thanks to all of you that made it so memorable. It was my life aquatic and one heck of a ride. 

I want to give a big shout out to Suzanne DeLorenzo who graduated this week with her Doctor of Philosophy from OHSU. She has been a student with CMOP from almost the beginning and may have been on more research cruises than any other person with the center. I was lucky enough to be on one of those cruises back in 2008. See if you can spot her in the Sailing on the Wecoma video.

Check out Suzanne's publications on Research Gate →

Our own Dr. Holly Simon is leading a users workshop today on a robotic laboratory called an Environmental Sample Processor (ESP). Experts from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and CMOP are presenting and discussing topics ranging from deployment preparation, adaptive sampling, protocols, technology and partnerships.

Learn more about how we use an ESP for adaptive sampling. →

CMOP's director will be presenting at The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership's three day workshop at the Liberty Theater in Astoria, Oregon from May 28-30. The Columbia River Estuary Workshop brings together people with interest of the lower Columbia River and estuary, plume, and nearshore ocean to highlight new findings and perspectives from species recovery, restoration, research and monitoring and resulting implications

Antonio Baptista is scheduled to present during the morning session on May 28. His talk is titled "Fast prediction of river influences on the Columbia River estuary and plume, and implications for policy, adaptive management and operation." CMOP scientist Joseph Needoba is the moderator of the first session that will cover topics on the Columbia River Basin/Estuary Issues.