Abstract
Engaging undergraduates in the environmental consequences of fossil fuel usage primes them to consider their own anthropogenic impact, and the benefits and trade-offs of converting to renewable fuel strategies. This laboratory activity explores the potential contaminants (both inorganic and organic) present in the raw fuel and solid waste remaining after thermal conversion. Using portable X-ray fluorescence, students analyze the heavy metals present in these solid samples following Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method 6200. Sample extracts were analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, byproducts of incomplete combustion, in the samples using a semiquantitative internal standard approach. Across a series of raw, semicarbonaceous char and ash samples from oil shale and coal, students found levels of arsenic and naphthalene exceeding EPA regional screening levels for industrial soils. This exercise teaches students about X-ray safety, EPA measurem...
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