Ashland Toxicology major interning with the Ohio EPA

Ashland Toxicology major Hayley Nininger conducts independent research with faculty member Dr. Andrew Trimble, presenting this Spring at our annual undergraduate research symposium.  This summer Hayley is applying her research skills in her internship with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.  Hayley sent in a description of her work:

I am currently an intern at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency - Division of
Environmental Services in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This lab’s primary focus is to study samples for environmental contamination. These samples include water, air filters, sediment, and fish samples. My placement was into the Nutrients and Mercury Laboratories. These labs conduct over 20 different tests on the individual samples such as ammonia, COD, mercury, nitrate, sulfate, TKN, etc. My primary duty is to digest samples for COD (Carbon Oxygen Demand) and TKN (Total Kjeldahl for Nitrogen). I also assist with other testing as well when necessary. My other functions include organizing MSDS sheets, organizing samples, and developing chemical inventories for the full lab. I am also keeping track of what samples are arriving, when they will be arriving, and what tests need to be performed on each one. I have also been shadowing other research scientists who are doing things such as pesticide and herbicide extractions from sediment and analyzing metals in drinking water to ensure a safe quality. The Microbiology lab is another lab which I have assisted in. This lab does E. coli testing, ELISA, and qPCR. The main function of the Ohio EPA is to identify sources of known environmental problems and reveal pollution that might be undetected. This internship has already given me so many great experiences and I cannot wait for more of them! I have already learned so much and I am so grateful! Every day is completely different. I love working here! This internship is one that I would recommend to anyone that has any interest in environmental science or toxicology!

You can look for future internship opportunities with the Ohio EPA on their website or Twitter feed.