Research in this area involves exploration of the fundamentals of chemical measurement as well as solving problems by the design of new analytical procedures. Such developments may be judged by many general criteria, such as improved accuracy (greater freedom from interference, greater selectivity), better detection power, higher speed, and lower design costs. Another important goal is to develop theories and simulation techniques for improved understanding and implementation of analytical methods.

Current research covers a considerable range of topics including analytical methodology in the areas of spectroscopy (atomic and molecular), separations, and microscopy. Common themes include ultratrace analyses, the use of flow techniques for performing chemical reactions and introducing sample materials to instruments, and the use of modeling to simulate aspects of the operation of chemical instrumentation. Industrial, environmental, biological, and clinical problems are examined. Much effort is aimed at developing procedures for the determination of different forms of elements in materials. Such speciation studies involve the combination of separation techniques with atomic spectrometry techniques. The combinations of capillary zone electrophoresis, high pressure liquid
chromatography and gas chromatography separations with several plasma-source techniques including atomic mass, emission and fluorescence spectrometries are being studied.

Bioanalytical chemistry is a major focus area in our department, supported in part by significant contributions from interested industrial partners. Mass spectrometric analysis methods, in particular, are a focus of much work using excellent equipment available to individual investigators and through university research facilities. NMR spectroscopy using special pulse sequences (e.g., REDOR) also provides vital analysis methodology to probe the relationship between the folding of biomolecules and their functions in living cells and organisms. Using various such analytical and spectroscopic tools, the intricacies of polymer conformation and folding, molecular recognition, and bio-inorganic catalysis are all under investigation by analytical chemists at UMass-Amherst.

For participating faculty see Research Matrix.