Shirae K. Leslie ’09 has been selected to present research at the Symposium of Artists and Scholars, April 25-26, at Randolph College.   Leslie's project, “Modifications to Existing Methods of Sequential Selective Extraction of Lead,”  was conducted with faculty mentor William Bare, assistant professor of chemistry.

The toxicity of lead in soil is a function of both its concentration and the way in which lead ions associate with soil particles. Bioavailability extraction and Tessier extraction procedures were used to analyze the concentration and speciation of lead in various soil samples. The Tessier extraction provides information about the speciation of lead in the sample, while the bioavailability extraction provides an estimate of the amount of lead that would be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract if the sample were ingested. The experiments reported here show that free phosphate ions in soil can perturb the lead speciation and toxicity measurements, resulting in significant errors. Initial experimentation directed toward correcting these errors has been promising.

The Symposium of Artists and Scholars provides Randolph College students from all classes and disciplines the opportunity to present the results of their research, scholarship, and creative work to the entire College community and beyond.  The two-day symposium, modeled after a typical academic conference, features oral presentations of student research, readings of creative work, musical performances, and exhibitions of student artwork.