Health sciences senior Anthony Bovenschen shows the “gun” part of a portable X-ray fluorescence machine in health sciences associate professor Jay Park's lab.tim brook
Anthony Bovenschen, a fourth-year student at Purdue University's School of Health Sciences, said if his study's results had been different, he might have made the cast of “Vanderpump Rules” reconsider their drinking habits.
In fall 2023, young researchers in Associate Professor Park Jae-hong's lab examined eight different bottles of various wines for traces of heavy metals, elements harmful to human health, such as lead, arsenic, and chromium. . The study relied heavily on X-ray fluorescence (XRF), which uses X-ray technology to measure the amount of toxic metals in objects such as glass, cork and wine.
Bovenshchen did not find anything harmful in the wine or cork, but he gained further research and laboratory experience. Although the Honors College student's post-graduation goal is medical school, the four years he spent in Park's lab were formative and valuable for him as a future medical professional.
“I really enjoy this job, and I know how important it is as a stepping stone for students who want to go on to graduate school or professional school, or who are looking to get a job straight out of college,” Bobenschen said. he said. “This is great to have on your resume.”
Acquired through a grant from the Provost Office's Educational Equipment Program, this field-portable XRF machine represents a collaborative asset among Purdue Health Sciences faculty and will serve both educational and research purposes. Although several faculty members have installed her XRF in their labs, this field-portable machine stands out for its user-friendly interface, allowing health science faculty researchers in various labs to operate it intuitively. It has become. It features a portable handheld XRF “gun” for field work that can be converted into a benchtop unit and seamlessly connects to a computer. This machine is versatile and at the same time has proven invaluable in identifying substances harmful to human health.
Scanning elemental “fingerprints”
Field-portable XRF instruments come with presets tailored to specific sample types. In Bovenschen's experiment in the fall, there was no wine-specific preset, so the researchers relied on the “soil” preset instead. The machine performed a thorough analysis down to the atomic level, distinguishing between different elements and searching for potentially toxic heavy metals. Researchers comb through the data to look for the presence of metals of interest.
“Every element has its own fingerprint,” Bobenschen says. “When X-rays hit these atoms, they become excited. The X-rays bounce back into the machine at different energy levels, depending on which atom they hit. XRF can analyze many different metals simultaneously. and shows the concentration in parts per million.
Bovenschen utilized benchtop mode. In this mode, the handheld XRF gun is securely secured within a test stand with a sample placement tray and a sturdy lid to ensure user safety by protecting the user from stray X-rays. With just a few clicks on the screen, I got results within minutes. This user-friendly interface makes her XRF technology accessible to even novice undergraduate researchers, allowing them to safely gain valuable hands-on experience without direct exposure to X-rays.
Return to bioaerosol
Bovenschen is preparing to graduate in May and is wrapping up his research career at Purdue on bioaerosol projects in Park's lab. Bioaerosol is an umbrella term that refers to air particles of biological origin, such as viruses and bacteria, that can be inhaled and cause harm to humans. But regardless of the type of project, Bovenschen gained invaluable experience and confidence through his four years of laboratory experience as he explored medical school.
“Being able to participate in research like this and talk about your research with others not only helps you develop skills in this scientific field, but also develops interpersonal skills. ,” Bovenschen explained.
Mr. Park agreed. By actively participating in research from the beginning, undergraduate students not only enrich their experience at Purdue's School of Health and Human Sciences, but also greatly enhance their prospects for future career paths and graduate studies.
Thanks to Park's efforts and use of state-of-the-art technology such as XRF equipment, students gain valuable hands-on experience in the lab and also gain essential proficiency in advanced techniques. . This comprehensive approach enables students to tackle a wide range of health science projects with competence and confidence.
“Once all training has been completed, student researchers will be able to use it freely,” Park said. “XRF can be used to measure metals in cells, in welding fumes extracted from factories and in respiratory filters. It has so many applications and is easy and convenient to use.”
