David J. Butcher, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, 
College of Arts & Sciences and
Professor of Analytical Chemistry
Office: Stillwell 340C
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28723

Voice: (828) 227-7646
Fax: (828) 227-7647
Email: butcherATemail.wcu.edu

Current Courses

Chemistry 132 - All information for students is available on WebCat.  Please use WebCat to access course materials.

Chemistry 696 - Graduate Seminar

Weekly Graduate Report Sheet
 
     

Decline of High Elevation Conifers in the Southern Appalachians.


Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), which are native to the Southern Appalachians, have experienced severe decline over the last forty years, primarily due to attack by an exotic insect, the balsam woolly adelgid. We have been studying differences in the chemical composition of the seeds and foliage of these trees to attempt to characterize chemical differences between trees that make individuals or stands more resistant to attack by this pest. The native habitat of these trees are scenic areas such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, and this species is also important as a Christmas tree. Because tourism and Christmas tree farms are significant industries in this region, the decline of the Fraser fir is potentially an economic loss to this region.

The red spruce (Picea rubens) is a second conifer which grow naturally at high elevation sites in the Southern Appalachian mountains.  Red spruce in GSMNP has undergone mild decline that has been attributed to reduced foliar calcium and magnesium levels and enhanced aluminum concentrations induced by acidic deposition.  Our group has measured the concentrations of these elements in foliage and soil to evaluate the effects of acidic deposition.

 
Phytoremediation at Barber Orchard, NC.
Barber Orchard is a 500 acre residential housing development located approximately 5 miles west of Waynesville, NC and 20 miles from the WCU campus. It is currently listed as a Superfund site by the U.S. EPA because of high soil concentration levels of arsenic, lead, and organo-pesticides. The contamination was caused by pesticide use when the land was used as an apple orchard throughout most of the twentieth century. The EPA is currently conducting a remedial investigation/feasibility study to consider future action to be taken at Barber Orchard.
  • Publications
    • Decline of High Elevation Conifer Forests in the Southeast 
      • Samantha J. Carlow, Lauren Ayers, Andy Bailey, Betsy John, Allyson Richardson, Brad Shepherd, Royce S. Woosley, David J. Butcher, "Determination of volatile compounds in foliage of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea)," Microchem. J., 2006, 83, 91-97. 
      • D.A. Vereen, P. McCall, D.J. Butcher, "Solid Phase Microextraction for the Determination of Volatile Organics in the Foliage of Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri)" Microchem. J., 2000, 65, 269-276. 
      • K.N. Bryant, A.J. Fowlkes, S.F. Mustafa, B.J. O'Neil, A.C. Osterman, T.M. Smith, M.R. Shepard,* R.S. Woosley, and David J. Butcher, "Determination of Aluminum, Calcium, and Magnesium in Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, and Red Spruce Foliage and Soil from the Southern and Middle Appalachians", Microchem. J. 1997, 56, 382-392. 
      • B.A. Sutton, R.S. Woosley, and D.J. Butcher, "Determination of Monoterpenes in Oleoresin: A Chemostematic Study of the Interaction between Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) and Balsam Woolly Adelgid (Adelges piceae)", Microchem. J. 1997, 56, 332-342. 
      • C.E. Lee, J.M. Cox, D.M. Foster, H.L. Humprey, R.S. Woosley, and D.J. Butcher, “Determination of Aluminum, Calcium, and Magnesium in Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) Foliage from Five Native Sites by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: The Effect of Elevation Upon Nutritional Status”, Microchem. J., 1997, 56, 236. 
      • J.M. Bowman, M.S. Braxton, M.A. Churchill, J.D. Hellie, S.J. Starrett, G.Y. Causby,* D.J. Ellis,* S.D. Ensley,* S.J. Maness,* C.D. Meyer,* J.R. Sellers,* Y. Hua, R.S. Woosley, and D.J. Butcher, “Extraction Method for the Isolation of Terpenes from Plant Tissue and Subsequent Determination by Gas Chromatography”, Microchem. J., 1997, 56, 10. 
      • M.R. Shepard,* C.E. Lee, R.. S. Woosley, and D.J. Butcher, “Determination of Calcium and Magnesium by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) and Red Spruce (Picea rubens) Foliage from Richland Balsam Mountain, North Carolina”, Microchem. J. 1995, 52, 118. 

        • * = Undergraduate author.

        Phytoremediation at Barber Orchard, NC
         

    • A. Pendergrass, and D.J. Butcher, “Uptake of Lead and Arsenic in Food Plants Grown in Contaminated Soil from Barber Orchard, NC,” Microchem J., 2006, 83, 14-16. 
    • L.L. Embrick, K.M. Porter, A. Pendergrass, and D.J. Butcher, “Characterization of Lead and Arsenic Contamination at Barber Orchard, Haywood County, NC, Microchem J., 2005, 81, 117-121. 
    • Jae-Min Lim, Arthur L. Salido, David J. Butcher, “Phytoremediation of lead using Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) with EDTA and Electrodics,” Microchem. J., 2004, 76, 3-9. 
    • A.L. Salido, K.L. Hasty,* J.-M. Lim, D.J. Butcher, “Phytoremediation of Arsenic and Lead in Contaminated Soil Using Brake Ferns, Indian Mustard and EDTA,” Int. J. Phytorem.,” 2003, 5, 89-103. 

      • Book Chapters and Reviews

      • D.J. Butcher, “Advances in Electrothermal Atomization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: Instrumentation, Methods, and Applications,” Appl. Spectrosc. Rev., 2006, 41, 15-34. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: Interferences and Background Correction,” in Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2005, pp. 157-163. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Fluorscence Spectrometry,” in Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2005. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Elemental Speciation – Practicalities and Instrumentation,” in Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2005, pp. 488-494. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Advances in Laser-Excited Atomic Fluorescence and Ionization,” Appl. Spectrosc. Rev., 2005, 40, 147-165. 
      • Alexander Zybin, Joachim Koch, David J. Butcher, and Kay Niemax, “Element-Selective Detection in Liquid and Gas Chromatography by Diode Laser Atomic Absorption Spectrometry,” J. Chromatography A, 2004, 1050, 35-44. 
      • J. Sneddon and D.J. Butcher, “Application of Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry to Biological and Clinical Samples,” in Advances in Atomic Spectroscopy, Volume 7, J. Sneddon, Editor, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 2002. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Advances in Electrothermal Atomization for Atomic Absorption and Atomic Fluorescence,” Appl. Spectrosc. Rev, 2002, 37, in 305-320. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Speciation of Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl and Its Derivatives,” Appl. Spectrosc. Rev, 2002, 37, 1-17. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Absorption Spectrometry:  Current Situation and New Developments,” Bunseki Kagaku, 2001, 179-186. 
      • D.J. Butcher, A. Zybin, M.A. Bolshov, and K. Niemax, “Diode Laser Atomic Absorption Spectrometry as a Detector for Metal Speciation,” Rev. Anal. Chem., 2001, 20, 79-100. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “The Real-Time Analysis of Gases by Direct Sampling-Mass Spectrometry:  Elemental and Molecular Applications,” Microchem. J., 2000, 66, 55-72 
      • D.J. Butcher, "Vacuum Ultraviolet Radiation for Single-Photon Ionization Mass Spectrometry: A Review," Microchem. J., 1999, 62, 354-362. 
      • D.J. Butcher, "Recent Developments in Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry," in Advances in Atomic Spectroscopy, Volume 4, J. Sneddon, Editor, Jai Press, Greenwich, CT 1998, pp. 151. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Laser Enhanced Ionization Spectrometry”, in Lasers in Atomic Spectroscopy, J. Sneddon, T.L. Thiem, and Y.-I. Lee, Editors, VCH, NY, 1997, p. 237. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry,” in “Handbook of Analytical Chemistry,” Frank Settle, Editor, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1997. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry,” in Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Volume 1, A. Townsend, Editor, Academic Press, London, 1995, pp. 288-296. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Laser Excited Atomic and Molecular Fluorescence Spectrometry in a Graphite Furnace,” in Advances in Atomic Spectroscopy, Volume 2, J. Sneddon, Editor, Jai Press, Greenwich, CT 1995, pp. 1. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry,” Spectroscopy 1993, 8 (2), 14. 
      • J. Sneddon, R.F. Browner, P.N. Keliher, J.D. Winefordner, D.J. Butcher, and R.G. Michel, “Electrodeless Discharge Lamps,” Prog. Anal. Spectrosc., 1989, 12, 369. 
      • D.J. Butcher, J.P. Dougherty, F.R. Preli, A.P. Walton, G.T. Wei, R.L. Irwin, and R.G. Michel, “Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry in Flames, Plasmas, and Electrothermal Atomizers: A Review,” J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 1988, 3, 1059. 
      • D.J. Butcher, J.P. Dougherty, J.T. McCaffrey, F.R. Preli, A.P. Walton, and R.G. Michel, “Conventional Source Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry,” Prog. Anal. At. Spectrosc., 1987, 10, 359. 

        •  
    • Mechanism of Atomization in Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy  
      • D.A. Ohonjo,** K.G. Vandervoort, and D.J. Butcher, “Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite as a Platform for Atomic Absorption Spectrometry,” Microchem. J., 1999, 61, 247-261. 
      • V. Majidi, J.A. Holcombe, K.G. Vandervoort, D.J. Butcher, and J.D. Robertson, "Electrothermal Vaporization and Characterization of the Graphite Surface at Elevated Temperatures", 1997, 51, 408A. 
      • K.G. Vandervoort, K.N. McLain, and D.J. Butcher, "Scanning Tunneling Microscope Study of Etch Pits on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite Heated in an Atomic Absorption Electrothermal Atomizer", Appl. Spectrosc., 1997, 51, 1896. 
      • K.G. Vandervoort, D.J. Butcher, C.T. Brittain,* and B.B. Lewis,* “Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Images of Graphite Substrates used in Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry,” Appl. Spectrosc., 1996, 50, 928. 
    • Molecular Absorption Spectrometry  
      • M.R. Shepard,* B.T. Jones, and D.J. Butcher, "High Resolution, Time-Resolved Spectra of Indium and Aluminum Atoms, Fluorides, Chlorides, and Oxides in a Graphite Tube Furnace", Appl. Spectrosc., 1998, 52, 430. 
      • M.R. Shepard* and D.J. Butcher, "Determination of Chloride by Flame Molecular Absorption Spectrometry with Continuum Source and Self-Reversal Background Correction", Spectrosc. Lett. 1997, 30, 1405. 
      • M.A. Fender and D.J. Butcher, “Comparison of Deuterium Arc and Smith-Hieftje Background Correction for Graphite Furnace Molecular Absorption Spectrometry of Fluoride and Chloride,” Anal. Chim. Acta, 1995, 313, 167. 
      • D.J. Butcher, “Determination of Fluorine, Chlorine, and Bromine by Molecular Absorption Spectrometry,” Microchem. J. 1993, 48, 303. 
    • Diode Laser Atomic Absorption Spectrometry  
      • D.J. Butcher, A. Zybin, M.A. Bolshov, and K. Niemax, “Speciation of Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Laser Atomic Absorption Spectrometry,” Anal. Chem., 1999, 71, 5379. 
    • Environmental Chemistry Education  
      • D.J. Butcher, P.F. Brandt, N.J. Norgaard, C.A. Atterholt, A.L. Salido, “Sparky IntroChem: A Student Oriented Introductory Chemistry Course,” J. Chem. Ed., 2003, 80, 137-139. 
      • A.L. Salido, C.A. Atterholt, J.R. Bacon, and D.J. Butcher, “An Environmental Focus using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry and Ion Chromatography,” J. Chem. Ed., 2003, 80, 22-23. 
      • R.S. Woosley and D.J. Butcher, "Chemical Analysis of an Endangered Conifer," J. Chem. Ed. 1998, 75, 1592. 
      • R.S. Woosley and D.J. Butcher, “Environmental Chemistry Research with High School Students”, Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly., 2000, 20, 138-140. 
      • C.A. Atterholt, David J. Butcher, J. Roger Bacon, W.R. Kwochka, and Royce S. Woosley, "Implementation of an Environmental Focus in an Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum by the Addition of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry," J. Chem. Ed., 2000, 77, 1549. 
    • Laser Spectroscopy  
      • Z. Liang, A.P. Walton, D.J. Butcher, R.L. Irwin, and R.G. Michel, “Capacitive Discharge Graphite Furnace Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence of Thallium,” Microchem. J. 1993, 47, 363. 
      • R.L. Irwin, G.T. Wei, D.J. Butcher, Z. Liang, E.G. Su, J. Takahashi, A.P. Walton, and R.G. Michel, “Transverse Zeeman background correction for graphite furnace laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry: determination of lead and cobalt in standard reference materials,” Spectrochim. Acta, Part B 1992, 47B, 1497. 
      • D.J. Butcher, R.L. Irwin, J. Takahashi, and R.G. Michel, “Determination of Fluorine by Laser Excited Molecular Fluorescence in a Graphite Tube Furnace with Front Surface Illumination,” J. Anal. At. Spectrom. 1991, 6, 9. 
      • D.J. Butcher, R.L. Irwin, S. Sjöström, A.P. Walton, and R.G. Michel, “Laser Enhanced Ionization in a Graphite Tube Furnace with Probe Atomization,” Spectrochim. Acta, Part B 1991, 46, 9. 
      • R.L. Irwin, D.J. Butcher, G.T. Wei, J. Takahashi, and R.G. Michel, “Determination of Lead and Thallium in Nickel-Based Alloys by Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry with Solid Sampling,” J. Anal. At. Spectrom. 1990, 5, 603. 
      • D.J. Butcher, R.L. Irwin, G.T. Wei, E.G. Su, J. Takahashi, and R. G. Michel, “Determination of Metals by Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry in Biological Samples with Dissolution and Slurry Sampling,” Appl. Spectrosc. 1990, 44, 1521. 
    •  Book  
      • D.J. Butcher and J. Sneddon, "A Practical Guide to Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry" Wiley, NY, 1998. 

        • Book Chapters and Review Articles 
      •  
    • Other Publications  
      • D.A. Vereen,** J.P. McCall,* and D.J. Butcher, "Solid Phase Microextraction for the Determination of Volatile Organics in the Foliage of Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri)," Microchem. J., 2000, 65, 269-276. 
      • D.J. Butcher, K.G. Asano, D.E. Goeringer, and S.A. McLuckey, “Thermal Dissociation of Gaseous Bradykinin Ions,” J. Phys. Chem. A, 1999, 103, 8664-8671. 
      • K.G. Asano, D.J. Butcher, D.E. Goeringer, and S.A. McLuckey, "Effective Ion Internal Temperatures Achieved via Boundary Activation in the Quadrupole Ion Trap: Protonated Leucine Enkephalin", J. Mass Spectrom., 1999, 34, 691-698. 
      • K.G. Asano, D.E. Goeringer, D.J. Butcher, and S.A. McLuckey, "Bath Gas Temperature and the Appearance of Ion Trap Tandem Mass Spectra of High-Mass Ions," Int. J. Mass Spectrom., 1999, 190/191, 281-293. 
      • N.J. Jocoy and D.J. Butcher, "Determination of NAD(P)H by a Bioluminescent Fiber Optic Probe," Spectrosc. Lett. 1998, 31, 1589. 

        • E.D. Byrd and D.J. Butcher, “Determination of Trace Elements in Biological Standard Reference Materials by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Solid and Slurry Sampling,” Spectrosc. Lett. 1993, 26, 1613. 
      • R.M. Pike, D.W. Mayo, S.S. Butcher, D.J. Butcher, and R. Hinkle,* “Microscale Organic Chemistry IV: A Simple and Rapid Procedure for Carrying Out Wittig Reactions,” J. Chem. Ed., 1986, 63, 917. 
      • C.H. Bushweller, C.D. Rithner, and D.J. Butcher,* “Stereodynamics of trans-[(t-(C4H9)2PR]2(CO)X Systems (R = H, CH3; M = Rh(I), Ir(I); X = Cl, Br, I): Assignment of Conformational Preferences and Conformational Exchange Itineraries,” Inorg. Chem., 1986, 25, 1610. 
      • C.H. Bushweller, C.D. Rithner, and D.J. Butcher,* “Evidence for a Strong Similarity in Conformational and Phosphorous-31 NMR Parameters between Two Series of trans-[(t-C4H9)2PX]2M(CO)Cl Systems [M = Rh (I), Ir(I); X = H, C2H5, n-C4H9, C6H5],” Inorg. Chem., 1984, 23, 1967.