Brooks C. Madsen
Environmental and Analytical chemistry

Retired Professor of Chemistry Ph.D., Ohio University E-mail: bmadsen@ucf.edu

Research

Brooks Madsen's lab applies analytical chemistry techniques, such as optical spectroscopy, chromatography, and flow injection analysis, to environmental analysis-specifically acid rain. We have been collecting and analyzing rainwater samples in east-central Florida since Since 1977. Based on our measurements and evaluation of trends in rainwater composition over three decades, we found that while acid concentrations in rainwater collected in east-central Florida exhibit annual variability, the long-term average has remained at pH 4.5. During that period, nitrate concentrations and nitrate deposition has increased and may be associated with acid precursor emissions due to the increasing population of central Florida and associated increase in nitrogen oxide automobile emissions.

Selected Publications

Madsen, B.C. "Characterization and Evaluation of Acid Rain in East Central Florida from 1978 to 1996 and Evaluation of some Chromatographic/Spectroscopic results from Leachate samples from CELSS.", Final Annual Report. Contract No. 80386 Dynamac Corp., Kennedy Space Center, FL. December, 1997.

Madsen, B.C., and Dreschel, T.M. "Emission Trends of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides in Southeastern United States and their Influence on Precipitation Composition." Proceedings of Air and Waste Management Association International Specialty Conference: Acid Rain & Electric Utilities: Permits, Allowances, Monitoring, and Meteorology Conference. Prabhu Dayal, Ed., pp. 464-475. 1995.

Madsen, B.C., Kheoh, T., Hinkle, C.R., and Dreschel, T.W. "Characterization and Evaluation of Acid Rain in East Central Florida for 1978 - 1987". Water, Air and Soil Pollution. 65, pp. 7-21, 1992.

Madsen, B.C. and Doller, D.W., "Continuous Flow Real-Time and Flow Injection Determination of Rainwater pH with a Poly(vinyl chloride) - Based Tubular Membrane Electrode." Analytical Chemistry, 59, 127-131 (1987).

Madsen, B.C. and Kromis, M.S., "Flow Injection and Photometric Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide in Rainwater with Sodium N-Ethyl-N-Sulfopropylanaline." Analytical Chemistry, 56, 2849-50 (1984).

Madsen, B.C. "A Comparison of Wet-Only Deposition Composition at Coastal and Inland Sites in East Central Florida. Acid Precipitation Series; Proc. Symp. Acid Precip., Vol. 4, 63-77 (1984).

Madsen, B.C. "An Evaluation of Sampling Interval Length on the Chemical Composition of Wet-Only Deposition." Atmospheric Environment, 16, 2515-9 (1982).

Madsen, B.C. "Some Evidence for Acid Rain Resulting from HCL Formation During an Expendable Vehicle Launch from Kennedy Space Center. Energy and Environment: Acid Rain, Ann Arbor Science, L Keith, ed. Vol. 2, 23-29 (1982).

Madsen, B.C. and Murphy, R.J. "Flow-injection and Photometric Determination of Sulfate in Rainwater with Methylthymol Blue," Analytical Chemistry, 53, 1924-6 (1981).

Madsen, B.C. "Utilization of Flow-injection With Hydrazine Reduction and Photometric Detection for the Determination of Nitrate in Rainwater." Anal. Chim. Acta, 124, 437-441 (1981).

Madsen, B.C. "Acid Rain at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Recent Observations." Atmospheric Environment, 15, 853-862.