Matthew TarrProfessor – Analytical Chemistry & Environmental Studies
B.S., Emory 1988 Ph.D., Georgia Tech 1992
phone: (504) 280-6323 office: CBS 344
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Research Interests Professor Tarr's research focuses on several areas
including the study of free radicals in environmental systems, the study of
free radicals in biological systems, and the synthesis and characterization of
nanomaterials for environmental and biomedical applications. Three projects are currently being
pursued:
1) production of chemical oxidants for pollutant degradation; 2) free radical oxidation of cell membranes and lipids;
The first project involves the use of chemical
reactants (such as Fe2+-H2O2) or low energy methods
(such as sonochemistry) to produce reactive oxygen species. Hydroxyl radical
(HO·) is the primary oxidant
in these systems, although other species may also occur (e.g., superoxide,
hydroperoxyl radical). These reactive oxygen species are then utilized to
degrade unwanted pollutants. Such techniques are being investigated in both
aqueous and soil systems. The effects of the sample matrix on reaction rates
and pathways are of particular interest. Furthermore, we develop systems that maximize the oxidation of the
targeted pollutant while minimizing the loss of oxidant through reaction with
matrix species. Current studies
are focusing on modified cyclodextrins, a class of naturally occurring
oligosaccharides, as additives that can improve degradation efficiency.
The second project involves the attack of laboratory
generated free radicals on simulated membranes and biolipids such as low
density lipoprotein (LDL). In
these studies, free radicals are generated by chemical methods, and the
resulting oxidation of the membrane or lipoprotein is studied using analytical
techniques such as mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectroscopy.
The third project involves synthesis and
characterization of nanocomposite materials containing metal oxides and noble
metals (e.g. gold). In this work,
we utilize sonochemical, photochemical, and wet chemical techniques to produce
nanoscale materials with more than one phase. For example, we have produced gold-magnetite nanocomposites,
titanium dioxide-magnetite nanocomposites, and titanium dioxide-gold
nanocomposites. Once produced, we
characterize these materials using a range of techniques including transmission
electron microscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and magnetic
measurements. The materials are
then studied for applications such as photocatalytic pollutant destruction,
drug delivery, and biomedical imaging.
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Selected Publications "Formation of Gold Coated
Magnetic Nanoparticles Using TiO2 as a Bridging Material," B. L.
Oliva, A. Pradhan, D. Caruntu, C. J. O'Connor, and M. A. Tarr, J. Mat. Res. 2006, 21, 1312-1316.
"Swimming Performance of
Juvenile Florida Pompano Exposed to Ethylene Glycol and Methanol: Synergistic
Effects," M. A. Stead, D. M. Baltz, E. J. Chesney, M. A. Tarr, A. S. Kolok, and
B. D. Marx, Trans. Am. Fisheries Soc. 2005, 134, 1438-1447.
"Enhancement of sonochemical degradation of phenol using hydrogen atom scavengers," W. Zheng, M. Maurin, and M. A. Tarr, Ultrason. Sonochem. 2005, 12, 313-317. "Evidence for the existence of ternary complexes of iron, cyclodextrin, and hydrophobic guests in aqueous solution," W. Zheng and M. A. Tarr, J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 10172-10176. "Dication induced stabilization of gas-phase ternary beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes observed by electrospray mass spectrometry," Yang Cai, Matthew A. Tarr, Guoxiang Xu, Talat Yalcin, and Richard B. Cole, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2003, 14, 449-459. "Enhanced Fenton Degradation of Hydrophobic Pollutants by Simultaneous Iron and Pollutant Complexation with Cyclodextrins," M. E. Lindsey, G. Xu, J. Lu, and M. A. Tarr, Sci. Tot. Environ. 2003, 307, 215-229. "Inhibition of Hydroxyl Radical Reaction with Aromatics by Dissolved Natural Organic Matter," M. E. Lindsey and M. A. Tarr, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2000, 34, 444-449. "Inhibited Hydroxyl Radical Degradation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Presence of Dissolved Fulvic Acid," M. E. Lindsey and M. A. Tarr, Wat. Res. 2000, 34, 2385-2389.
Chemical Degradation
Methods for Wastes and Pollutants: Environmental and Industrial Applications, M. A. Tarr, Ed. Marcel Dekker, 2003.
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