Indiana State University : Department of Chemistry : John M. Allen

John M. Allen

Associate Professor
Analytical Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry

B.S., 1981, Virginia Commonwealth University
M.S., 1987, Virginia Commonwealth University
Ph.D., 1992, Duke University

Office: S-051H
Phone: (812) 237-2234
E-mail: jallen11@isugw.indstate.edu

Research Summary

Dr. Allen's research interests are in environmental chemistry and aqueous-phase chemical kinetics. Recent work has centered upon the following topics:

1) Measurement of Henry's law constants for chemical compounds of importance in atmospheric chemistry. Hydrocarbons emitted into the atmosphere are oxidized in the gas phase to aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids which are much more soluble in water than the parent hydrocarbons. These oxidation products may partition into cloud droplets where they can undergo subsequent aqueous-phase photochemical reactions as a result of sunlight absorption.

2) Detection of toxic oxidants formed in illuminated sunscreen solutions. Sunscreens such as PABA protect human skin from some of the harmful effects of sunlight exposure by absorption of UV radiation, however, photochemical reactions involving sunscreens may produce toxic oxidants that cause damage to human skin.

3) Formation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in illuminated surface waters contaminated with acidic mine drainage. These contaminated surface waters have very low pH and high concentrations of iron. When exposed to sunlight, very high concentrations of •OH are formed, rapidly consuming many organic pollutants present.

Publications

1. Allen, J.M., Jayanty, R.K.M., Von Lehmden, D.J.: "Comparison of Sample Loops Constructed of Several Different Materials for Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Parts-Per-Billion Level Organic Gas Mixtures", Analytical Chemistry Vol. 59, p. 1884 (1987).

2. Faust, B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Sources of Oxidants in Clouds", in Effects of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation on Biogeochemical Dynamics in Aquatic Environments, Blough, N.V., Zepp, R.G. eds., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Technical Report WHOI-90-09, January, 1990.

3. Faust, B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Sources of Peroxyl Radicals and Singlet Molecular Oxygen in Clouds", Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 95 (D12), p. 12, 913 (1992).

4. Faust, B.C., Anastasio, C., Allen, J.M., Arakaki, T.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Formation of Peroxides in Authentic Cloud and Fog Waters", Science, Vol. 260, p. 73 (1993).

5. Faust B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Formation of Hydroxyl Radical (OH) in Authentic Cloudwaters and Fog Waters", Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 27 (6), p. 1221 (1993).

6. Anastasio, C., Faust, B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Formation of Peroxides in Authentic Cloud Waters," Chapter 18 in Aquatic and Surface Photochemistry, Helz, G.R. ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, (1994).

7. Allen, J.M., Faust, B.C.: "Aqueous-Phase Photochemical Formation of Peroxyl Radicals and Singlet Molecular Oxygen in Cloud Water Samples from Across the United States", Chapter 19 in Aquatic and Surface Photochemistry, Helz, G.R. ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1994.

8. Faust, B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Sunlight Photochemical Inhibition of Iron (III) Catalyzed Aqueous S(IV) Oxidation by Molecular Oxygen", Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 28(4), p. 745, (1994).

9. Anastasio, C., Faust, B.C., Allen, J.M.: "Aqueous -Phase Photochemical Formation of Hydrogen Peroxide in Authentic Cloud Waters", Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 99(D4), p. 8231 (1994).

10. Allen, J.M., Egenolf, S., Allen, S.K.; "Rapid Reaction of Singlet Molecular Oxygen (¹O₂)with p-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA) in Aqueous Solution", Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 212(3), p. 1145 (1995).

11. Allen, S.K., Allen, J.M., Lucas, S.: "Measurement of Metals in Surface Waters from West-Central Indiana Contaminated with Acidic Mine Drainage", Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 56, p. 240 (1996).

12. Ramachandran, B.R., Allen, J.M., Halpern, A.M.: "The Importance of Weighted Regression Analysis in the Determination of Henry's Law Constants by Static Headspace Gas Chromatography." Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 68, p. 281 (1996).

13. Allen, J.M., Lucas, S., Allen, S.K.: "Formation of Hydroxyl Radical in Illuminated Surface Waters Contaminated with Acidic Mine Drainage", Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 15(2) p. 102 (1996).

14. Allen, S.K., Allen, J.M., Lucas, S.: "Concentrations of Contaminants in Surface Water Samples Collected in West-Central Indiana Contaminated with Acidic Mine Drainage," Environmental Geology, Vol. 27(1), p.34 (1996).

15. Allen, J.M., Gossett, C.S., Allen, S.K.: "Photochemical Formation of Singlet Molecular Oxygen in Illuminated Aqueous Solutions of p-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)", Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, Vol. 32(2), p. 33 (1996).

16. Allen, J.M., Gossett, C.S., Allen, S.K.: "Photochemical Formation of Singlet Molecular Oxygen (¹O₂) in Illuminated Aqueous Solutions of Several Sunscreen Active Ingredients", Chemical Research in Toxicology, Vol. 9(3), p. 605 (1996).

17. Allen, J.M., Gossett, C.S., Allen, S.K.: "Photochemical Formation of Singlet Molecular Oxygen in Aqueous Solutions of Several Sunscreen Active Ingredients", Photochemistry and Photobiology, Vol. 63, p. 16 (1996).

18. Ramachandran, B.R., Allen, J.M., Halpern, A.M.: "Air-Water Partitioning of Important Organic Compounds: An Environmental Chemistry or Integrated Laboratory Experiment", Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 73, p. 1058 (1996).

19. Martincigh, B.M., Allen, J.M., Allen, S.K.: "Sunscreens: The Molecules and their Photochemistry", Chapter 1 in Sunscreens-Molecular, Cellular, and Physiological Effects, Gasparro, F.P. ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1997.

20. Allen, S.K., Todd, A., Allen, J.M. "Photochemical Formation of Singlet Molecular Oxygen(¹O₂) in Illuminated Solutions of 6-Methylcoumarin". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vo. 235, p. 615 (1997).

21. Allen, J.M., Balcavage, W.X., Ramachandran, B.R., Shrout, A.L.: "Determination of Henry's Law Constants by Equilibrium Partitioning in a Closed Vessel Using a New in-situ Optical Absorbance Technique". Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 17, p. 1216 (1998).

22. Allen, J.M., Allen, S.K., Lingg, B.: "Photostabilities of Several Chemical Compounds Used as Active Ingredients in Sunscreens", in Drugs: Photochemistry and Photostability, Albini, A. ed., Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK, (1998).

23. Allen, J.M., "The Pseudoscience of Oxygen Therapy", Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 24 (1), p. 40 (2000).

24. Allen, J.M., Allen, S.K., Baertschi, S., "2-Nitrobenzaldehyde: A Convenient UV-B and UV-A Chemical Actinometer for Drug Photostability Testing", Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, in press, (2000).

25. Allen, J.M., "Medicinal Herbs and Dietary Supplements: A Risky Health Gamble", Skeptical Inquirer, in press, (2000).

26. Allen, J.M., "Fundamentals of Chemical Actinometry", in Advances in Drug Photostability Testing, Blackwell, London, U.K., Piechocki, J., Ed., in press, (2000).