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Personal Info

5th year graduate student in the department of chemistry at Northwestern University under the advisement of Dr. Franz M. Geiger

Hometown:

Rotterdam, NY

Interests: Environmental chemistry, cooking, live music, and playing the guitar

Education

B.S. Chemistry ‘06 (ACS certification) - S.U.N.Y. Geneseo

Ph.D candidate (chemistry) - Northwestern University

PUBLICATIONS

7) Hayes, P. L., Malin, J. N., Jordan, D. J., Geiger, F. M. “Get Charged Up: Nonlinear
Optical Voltammetry for Quantifying the Thermodynamics and Electrostatics of
Metal Cations at Aqueous/Oxide Interfaces” Chem. Phys. Lett. 2010, 499, (4-6), 183.
6) Jordan, D. J., Malin, J. N., Geiger F. M. “Interactions of Al(III), La(III), Gd(III)
and Lu(III) with the Fused Silica/Water Interface Studied by Second Harmonic
Generation” Environ. Sci. Tech. 2010, 44 (15), 5862.
5) Malin, J. N., Geiger, F. M. “Uranyl Adsorption and Speciation at the Fused
Silica/Water Interface Studied by Resonantly Enhanced Second Harmonic
Generation and the χ(3) Method” J. Phys. Chem. A, 2010, 114, 1797.
4) Hayes, P. L., Malin, J. N., Konek, C. T., Geiger, F. M. “Interactions of Metal Cations With
Mineral/Water and Organic-Containing Mineral/Water Interfaces Studied by Second Harmonic
Generation.” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 2009, 73, A506.
3) Malin, J. N., Holland, J. G., Geiger, F. M. “Free Energy Relationships in the Electric Double
Layer and Alkali Earth Speciation at the Fused Silica/Water Interface.” J. Phys. Chem. C, 2009,
113, 17795.
2) Malin, J. N., Hayes, P. L., Konek, C. T., Geiger, F. M. “Interactions of Ca, Zn and Cd at Buried
Solid/Water Interfaces Studied by Second Harmonic Generation.” J. Phys Chem. C, 2009, 113,
2041.
1) Hayes, P. L., Malin, J. N., Konek, C. T., Geiger, F. M. “Interactions of Nitrate, Barium,
Strontium and Cadmium Ions with Fused Quartz/Water Interfaces Studied by Second Harmonic
Generation.” J. Phys. Chem. A, 2008, 112, 660.

RESEARCH

Having been raised in up-state NY, mere miles from the Adirondack mountains and numerous lakes, rivers, and state parks, the preservation of the natural environment is an issue close to my heart. I am drawn to environmental chemistry, and in particular, aspects of the field related to maintaining clean water. Due to this, the focus of my Ph.D is investigating the fundamental adsorption processes which control the mobility of metal pollutants in soils and groundwater.

My research is performed using a nonlinear optical spectroscopy known as second harmonic generation (SHG). Through application of the Eisenthal chi-(3) technique of SHG, I have been able to assess the kinetics, and quantify the thermodynamics of the adsorption of several metals at environmentally relevant, buried, mineral oxide/water interfaces under flow conditions. Thus far, I have evaluated the adsorption behavior of a series of divalent metal ions (Ba, Sr, Cd, Ca, and Zn) at the silica/water interface, and a carboxylic acid functionalized silica/water interface. In my most recent publication, I made use of the straightforward Sr2+/silica system to investigate adsorption free energy versus potential relationships in the electric double layer. This work also revealed a novel, label-free, method for determining the speciation of adsorbed metal ions using SHG. My current research has focused utilizing resonantly enhanced SHG to study the adsorption and speciation of the environmentally persistent uranyl ion at model environmental interfaces.

I take pride in knowing that my research provides fundamental insight into metal ion adsorption occurring at natural interfaces between soils and groundwater. The extent to which such adsorption occurs dictates the mobility of a particular metal in the environment. Therefore, the fundamental knowledge of metal adsorption at environmental interfaces is crucial for the risk assessment, management, and mitigation of metal pollution necessary for maintaining clean water.

Jessica N. Malin

The Geiger Group - Tech. Institute K161

2145 Sheridan Rd. Evanston, IL 60201

Phone: 847.491.5043

Email : j-malin@u.northwestern.edu