The September 25th Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Colloquium guest speaker will be Dr. Mengliang Zhang: " Exploring the Intersection of Traditional and Ambient Mass Spectrometry in Forensic, Nanomaterial, and Food Chemistry" . Dr. Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Ohio University.

Abstract:

The saying "We do not see things as they are; we see them as we are" highlights the importance of perspective in shaping our understanding of the world. In analytical chemistry, advancements in instrumental techniques enable us to gain deeper insights into the composition and structure of matter, transforming how we view various fields of science.

As an Analytical Chemistry research group, we focus on forensic, material, and food science, employing cutting-edge instrumental analysis and chemometrics. In this presentation, I will showcase our application of direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) to identify unique marker compounds in ignitable liquid (IL) residues for forensic arson investigations, while also advancing the understanding of the surface chemistry of colloidal nanocrystals. Additionally, I will discuss our use of traditional mass spectrometric techniques such as LC/MS and GC/MS to analyze secondary metabolites in food and dietary supplements, as well as the chemical fingerprints from IL residues.

This presentation will provide an overview of the analytical capabilities of our research group and aims to inspire new collaborations in addressing exciting research challenges.