Editor’s Note: This Q&A is one of a series of articles exploring the research that University of Delaware students have been pursuing. Follow our “Frontiers of Discovery” series as UDaily highlights some of these scholars.

Wesley Carson of Smyrna, Delaware, is an environmental chemistry major and a junior at the University of Delaware. He has been analyzing 23 species of exotic hardwoods that are illegal to import. He uses X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, a tool that applies high-energy X-rays to sample materials, allowing researchers to characterize the elements. The goal is to see if a hand-held spectrometer can determine the origin and species of the wood to ensure that it matches the importer’s paperwork.

Q: What draws you to research? Have you done it before?

Carson: I am drawn to research because it allows me to explore the world and make discoveries. It allows me to make a career for myself while also learning new skills. I’ve worked on previous research projects for a few other professors in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Q: What have you been studying and who is your faculty mentor on this work?

Carson: I am studying the analysis of spectroscopic methods on imported illegal hardwoods. We are analyzing the collected spectra so that we may create a classification model. The model will allow us to appropriately determine the validity of the sample being analyzed relative to the information provided. The research is taking place in Lammot du Pont Laboratory near The Green. The professor overseeing the project is Dr. Karl Booksh.

Q: What motivated you to study this topic? 

Carson: The primary motivation for studying this topic is that it heavily relies on data analysis. Collecting the data from the hardwoods only scratches the surface. From that point onward, I will use RStudio to import, organize and interpret the data. “R” is a programming language used to statistically analyze data into more meaningful output. RStudio is an integrated development environment, in which the R coding language can be implemented while also allowing users to import data, view graphs and maintain work projects in meaningful save files.

Q: What have you found most surprising about this work so far?

Carson: The most surprising aspect of the research so far is how long it is expected to take to complete the project.

Q: How does X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy help you in this research?

Carson: Spectroscopy is the study of electromagnetic radiation applied to matter. Common forms include infrared, raman, ultraviolet. Using common spectroscopic techniques, I can gather valuable information regarding the chemical properties of the wood based on how the chemical constituents of the samples respond to the electromagnetic radiation.

Q: How does this compare to the X-ray images we’d get from our doctor?

Carson: Both methods utilize X-rays, which range from a thousandth to a tenth of a nanometer in wavelength on the electromagnetic scale. When X-ray radiation is applied to the human body, skin, muscle and fat absorb the incoming waves, but bones do not. Therefore, bones appear white having rejected the radiation while everything that has accepted the radiation appears empty or invisible. And here’s an interesting tidbit: The reason X-rays are useful for determining fractures is because the inside of the broken bone absorbs the radiation, allowing the damage to appear dark while the surrounding bone is white. In X-ray fluorescence, the elements in a sample absorb the radiation, pushing them to higher energy states. Once the highly energized elements return to their original energy states, they then emit their own wave of energy, known as photons, which is picked up by the spectrometer being used to analyze the sample. Like all other spectroscopic techniques, X-rays can only impact a certain list of elements; the elements that are picked up will have various intensity outputs in response to the provided radiation. Given this, it's clear that spectroscopy is both a qualitative and quantitative field of analysis, but you must pick and choose which method to use based on what you'd like to analyze in your sample. Of course, XRF works best with analyzing heavy metal content, so it was the clear choice for the project.

Q: What are the possible real-world applications for your study?

Carson: A great example is using the analysis to determine if a provided, outside sample is an illegal hardwood or not. Illegal hardwoods are typically endangered species, so being able to determine the identity of the wood is key in tracing back to the origins of the piece. I have yet to tie any sort of data collected to any physical properties of the woods, but I've noted common themes across the samples: colors range from a light brown to a rich mahogany color to a deep, dark brown. The lighter-colored woods tend to weigh less, while the darker woods are much heavier. This hasn't been tied into the data yet, though I'm sure the darker, heavier woods have a stronger concentration of heavy metals compared to the lighter samples. I am also looking at the grain of the different woods; is there anything meaningful between the content of the sample and the shape and direction of the grain? These are questions that will be answered with time, closer to the end of the project.

Q: How would you explain your work to a non-scientist or even a fifth-grader?

Carson: Woods have different compositions, which gives them a variety of textures, colors, densities, etc. This research aims to identify the differences between the wood samples’ components necessary to categorize them and, going forward, successfully categorize pieces from outside of the work-used samples.

Q: How does this experience align with your professional goals?

Carson: This experience fits nicely into my environmental chemistry degree, and even better in my goals for a career once outside of academia. Professionally, I’d like to work as an analytical environmental chemist.

Q: What advice would you give to your fellow students who may be considering or are planning to pursue undergraduate research?

Carson: Don’t be let down if a professor doesn’t provide you with an opportunity to do research with them after asking. There are many professors who would be happy to have a helping hand in the lab or someone to take on a project they have in mind.