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Robert Thomas

Robert Thomas has more than 30 years of experience in trace element analysis. He is the principal of his own freelance writing and scientific consulting company, Scientific Solutions, based in Gaithersburg, MD.

Articles

The Impact of Illegal Artisanal Gold Mining on the Peruvian Amazon: Benefits of Taking a Direct Mercury Analyzer into the Rain Forest to Monitor Mercury Contamination

February 01, 2019

Illegal artisanal gold mining using mercury amalgamation is poisoning people and the ecosystem in the Amazon rain forest. By taking the technique of direct mercury analysis to a remote, field-based laboratory, the team of Professor Luis Fernandez is measuring the extent of the contamination in a wide variety of samples, including soil, fish, air and human hair.

Single-Particle ICP-MS: A Key Analytical Technique for Characterizing Nanoparticles

March 01, 2017

The National Nanotechnology Initiative defines engineered nanomaterials (ENM) as those with dimensions of 1–100 nm, where their unique characteristics enable novel applications to be carried out. ENMs often possess different properties than their bulk counterparts of the same composition, making them of great interest for a broad spectrum of industrial, commercial, and health care uses. However, the widespread application of ENMs will inevitably lead to their release into the environment, which raises concerns about their potential adverse effects on the ecosystems and their impact on human health.

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