Masters Theses

Eric T. Lloyd

Abstract

"PART I: THERMODYNAMIC ACIDITIES OF SUBSTITUTED PHENYLACETYLENES The thermodynamic acidities (pKa) of phenylacetylene and several para substituted phenylacetylenes in methanol were determined at 25ºC. These acidity constants were determined using a quenching technique which involves converting the phenylacetylenic anion, present at equilibrium as sodium phenylacetylide, to the tritium labelled carbon acid. By liquid scintillation counting techniques, the concentration of the anion was determined and the pKa of the phenylacetylene compound calculated. The resulting pKa's are: p-nitrophenylacetylene, 17.98, p-bromophenylacetylene, 18.10, p-fluorophenylacetylene, 18.14, phenylacetylene, 18.50, and p-methylphenylacetylene, 18.60. The effect of a substituent in the para position on the relative acidities is consistent with inductive effect predictions. A Hammett sigma rho plot of the observed pKa's produces a straight line with a slope equal to 0.85 and the coefficient of correlation is 0.988 using a least squares fit.

PART II: MERCURY ACCUMULATION IN TROUT OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI A study of mercury accumulation in trout taken from the trout parks and streams of southern Missouri is presented. Mercury in trout is determined by digestion in nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and potassium permanganate, followed by reduction and aeration for measurement by flameless atomic absorption. The mercury accumulation in trout collected and analyzed in this project ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 ppm mercury (µg mercury/g of tissue). Previous analysis of trout collected in the mid to late 1950's from the same areas indicated mercury accumulations of approximately 3 ppm. Over the past 25 years, there has been a substantial decrease in mercury found in trout of southern Missouri as a result of cleaner streams"--Abstract, pages iv-v.

Advisor(s)

Stoffer, James O.

Committee Member(s)

McDonald, H. O. (Hector O.)
Pauls, Franklin B., 1911-1996

Department(s)

Chemistry

Degree Name

M.S. in Chemistry

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

1976

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

  • Thermodynamic acidities of substituted phenylacetylenes
  • Mercury accumulation in trout of Southern Missouri

Pagination

xi, 61 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 64-66).

Geographic Coverage

Missouri

Rights

© 1976 Eric Thomas Lloyd, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Thermochemistry
Organometallic compounds
Trout -- Effect of heavy metals on -- Missouri
Mercury -- Environmental aspects -- Missouri
Fish habitat improvement
Stream ecology

Thesis Number

T 4157

Print OCLC #

5988036

Electronic OCLC #

904158951

Download

Included in

Chemistry Commons

Share

 
COinS