Anthropology - Butler University

Waste Cooking Oil for Biodiesel
Joseph Hall & Amber Mahan, Faculty Sponsor: Shannon Teeters-Kennedy, Franklin College
As our society becomes more environmentally conscious, scientific developments to reduce our
ecological footprints are becoming increasingly important. Harmful emissions from the burning
of fossil fuels continue to be released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate, while also
depleting natural resources. As a result, alternative fuels are becoming more economically
important and more widely available. A procedure and method to produce biodiesel from waste
cooking oil through transesterification reactions has been developed at Franklin College.
Research to characterize and analyze this fuel has been completed using infrared spectrometry,
Bomb Calorimetry, and GC-MS and the results were compared to those for commercially
available diesel and biodiesel fuels. Additional fuel value comparisons are being evaluated for
sawdust and corn husks.
Characterizing the Effects of SeO2 and Na2¬SeO¬¬¬3 on the Interactions between Metal
Ions and DNA using Electronic Absorption Spectroscopy
Steve Marczak, Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Morris, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
The transition metal ions Fe(II), Cu(II), and Cr(III) undergo reactions with H 2 O 2 to produce
reactive oxygen species that give rise to damage associated with many diseases, clinical
conditions, and aging. These metal ions produce oxidative DNA damage in a site-specific
manner that is related to their abilities to bind to DNA through bases and/or the phosphate
backbone. Selenium is considered an essential dietary trace element. The inorganic selenium
compounds, selenium dioxide (SeO 2 ) and selenite (SeO 3 2- ), exhibit antioxidant properties by
interfering with the binding between metal ions and DNA. We examined the effects of SeO 2 and
SeO 3 2- on the binding between Cr(III) and Cu(II) and DNA using visible absorption
spectroscopy. The results indicate that both Cr(III) and Cu(II) form complexes with SeO 2 and
with SeO 3 2- in aqueous solution. We observe similar results when SeO 2 and SeO 3 2- are
introduced into solution after Cr(III) and Cu(II) are already bound to DNA. We suggest the
possibility of formation of a metal ion coordination complex with the selenium compounds.
Metal ion coordination may be responsible for the antioxidant properties of SeO 2 and SeO 3 2- .
Synthesis of Novel SCS and PCP Pincer Compounds as Potential Catalysts for Transfer
Hydrogenation Reactions of Biomass Substrates
Christopher Matlak, Faculty Sponsor: Todsapon Thananatthanachon, University of Evansville
With the decreasing stores of fossible fuels, there is a strong demand for the chemical
development of novel biofuels. Recent examples have been conversion of cellulose and sugars to
2,5-dimethylfuran and γ-valerolactone utilizing integrative catalytic transformations such as
hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis. We have designed and synthesized a new family of the
metal-pincer complexes as potential multi-functional, homogeneous catalysts for the conversion
of biomass. Synthesis and characterization of a combination of various redox-active SCS and
PCP pincer ligand and transition metals (Fe, Ni and Cu) will be presented. Catalytic properties of
the complexes for the transformation of biomass-derived substrates will be discussed.