- William H. Casey
- UC Davis
- Department of Chemistry
William H. Casey
whcasey@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-3211
Professor UC Davis 1991 - Present
Sandia National Laboratories 1985-1990
PhD Pennsylvania State University 1985
BA UC Davis 1976
Professor Casey is interested in the reactions between water, rock and minerals. Many weathering phenomena involve reactions with water on mineral surfaces, something which can be mimicked in the laboratory by studying the aqueous chemistry of metal aquo clusters by heteronuclear NMR and MS. Other interests include crystal growth, general cluster chemistry, bio-inorganic chemistry, and chemistry from an environmental aspect.
The following is a list over some recent projects:
Isotope fractionation in chlorophyll (J. R. Black)
Magnesium activates more enzymatic processes than any other metal. As Jay himself would put it: "Magnesium is the metal center of chlorophyll and has three stable isotopes with a large natural abundance (24Mg : 78.7%; 25Mg : 10.1%; 26Mg : 11.2%). If a biogenic fractionation of the stable isotopes of magnesium were preserved in the chlorophyll molecule it may be possible to use the magnitude of this fractionation as a marker of environmental/physiological processes, and potentially as a tracer of the origins of photosynthetic life on Earth."
Polyoxometallates and metal-oxide clusters (E. M. Villa, E. Balogh, J. R. Black, C. A. Ohlin )
Science is close to being able to calculate reaction trajectories in simple aqueous systems. What is missing are experimental data on nanometer-size aqueous clusters that are sufficiently well constrained to provide test cases. Our work on polyoxometallates is centered around oxygen activation, as polyoxometallates serve both as models for mineral oxide surfaces. We study aluminum, iron and niobate clusters. .
Uranium cluster chemistry (E. M. Villa)
What Uranium is used for most people already know. However, most of the uranium in uranium ores is not useful for power generation, and is thus discarded. Another source of uranium is depleted uranium used in shells, as seen in Iraq. Our interest is in finding out what happens to uranium in nature - what compounds form, and what their final destiny is.
Crystal growth in vivo ( M. Weaver)
Kidney stones are rated a 9 on a 10 point scale over pain in humans. While their composition is simple - calcium oxalate - more knowledge is needed regarding they way they form. We are thus studying the growth of calcium oxalate crystals in collaboration with Dr. Jim DeYoreo at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Exchange kinetics of oxo-iron clusters in water (E. Balogh, C. A. Ohlin)
Iron - both in heme and non-heme forms - is central to the function of redox active enzymes. We are particularily interested in the non-heme forms, seen in enzymes such as purple acid phosphatase, and are actively studying the aqueous chemistry of this type of compounds. Furthermore, ferric iron is perhaps the most important metal in the near-surface of the Earth and accounts for much of the reactivity of soil.
Open positions
We currently are not advertising any openings. However, candidates with their own source of funding are of course always welcome, and can be promised intellectually challenging - and stimulating - work in aqueous geo-, inorganic and biochemistry. We do not only welcome applicants with a good foundation in aqueous chemistry, but also people with as diverese backgrounds as possible. We have immense fun.