Chemist
Chemist

Biography

Brandy Gartman, joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2011 as a post master’s research associate and focused on studying the environmental transport of subsurface contaminants impacting the vadose zone. In 2014 Gartman moved to ViZn Energy Systems, Inc., a grid-scale battery start-up company, as the senior analytical chemist where she built the analytical laboratory while developing a more stable electrolyte. Then she returned to PNNL in 2015 as a radiochemist supporting the National Security Directorate (NSD) where she now leads a series of projects in support of nuclear forensics research.

Gartman’s research is focused on developing clean radiochemistry processes to compliment the radiometric detection capabilities located in the PNNL Shallow Underground Laboratory. Another research focus area has been in support of the Molybdenum-99 Medical Isotope Program, where the importance of this research was acknowledged at an international conference in 2023 .  

Gartman has also been pioneering the development of a new methodology for particle separation that hyphenates mesofluidic separators with field flow fraction. Initially funded under a Laboratory Directed Research and Development project, the continued development of this cross-disciplinary method supports NSD, Environment and Energy Directorate, and Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate mission areas. 
 

Research Interest

  • Low-background radiochemistry
  • Particle separations
  • Field flow fractionation
  • Environmental transport
  • Analytical chemistry

Education

  • PhD student, Colorado School of Mines, 2022–Present
  • MS in applied chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, 2010
  • BS in chemistry, Appalachian State University, 2006

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Member, American Geophysical Union, 2015–present
  • Member, American Chemical Society, 2006–present

Publications

2023

  • Pease L.F., B.N. Gartman, C.A. Law, and C. Burns. " Spectroscopic Features of Dissolved Iodine in Pristine and Gamma-Irradiated Nitric Acid Solutions." Applied Physics Letters. 122 (2023) 23: 234104. doi:10.1063/5.0141684.

2022

  • Graham T.R., B.N. Gartman, A. Bautista, L. Irwin, E.J. Shelby, D.L. Saunders, and T.J. Johnson, et al. "Spectroscopic features of dissolved iodine in pristine and gamma-irradiated nitric acid solutions." Journal of Molecular Liquids. Vol 387 (2022) 122631. doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2023.122631.

2021

  • Emerson H.P., C.I. Pearce, C.H. Delegard, K.J. Cantrell, M. Snyder, M. Thomas, and B.N. Gartman, et al. "Influences on Subsurface Plutonium and Americium Migration." ACS Earth and Space Chemistry. 5 (2021) 2: 279–29. doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00277.

2020

  • Szecsody, J.E., H.P. Emerson, C.I. Pearce, B.N. Gartman, C.T. Resch, and S. Di Pietro. “In Situ Reductive Dissolution to Remove Iodine-129 from Aquifer Sediments.” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 216 (2020): 106182. doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106182.

2018

  • M.J. Jackson, C. Gilligan, A. Davies, R.E. Britton, J.I. Friese, L.R. Greenwood, B.D. Pierson, Z.S. Finch, B.N. Gartman, D. Dry, I. May, N.C. Smythe, A.J. Gaunt, E.R. Thomas, K.E. Roberts, N.K. Harward, K.J. Thomas, P.T. Woody, P. Zhao. "International Inter-comparison Exercise on 153Sm." Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 318 (2018) 1:107-115. doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6048-1.

2017

  • Xu J, H Veeramani, N Qafoku, G Singh, MV Riquelme Breazeal, RK Kukkadapu, BN Gartman, A Pruden, and MF Hochella Jr. "Efficacy of Acetate-Amended Biostimulation for Uranium Sequestration: Combined Analysis of Sediment/Groundwater Geochemistry and Bacterial Community Structure." Applied Geochemistry. 78 (2017): 172-185.  doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.12.024.

2016

  • Gartman BN and Quafoku N. “Uranium Interaction with Soil Minerals in the Presence of Co-Contaminants: Case Study-Subsurface Sediments at or below the Water Table.” In Trace elements in waterlogged soils and sediments. Book Chapter (July 2016).

2015

  • Gartman, BN, Quafoku, NP, Szecsody, JE, Kukkadapu, RK, Wang, Z, Wellman, DM, Truex, MJ. “Uranium Fate in Hanford Sediment Altered by Simulated Acid Waste Solutions.” Applied Geochemistry. 63 (2015): 1-9. doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.07.010.

2014

  • KJ Cantrell KJ, W Um, BD Williams, BN Gartman, WW Lukens, EC Buck, and Musolf. “Chemical Stabilization of Hanford Tank Residual Waste.” Journal of Nuclear Materials. 446, 1-3 (2014) 246-256. doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.10.060.
  • N Qafoku, BN Gartman, RK Kukkadapu, BW Arey, KH Williams, PJ Mouser, SM Heald, JR Barger, N Janote, SB Yabusaki, and PE Long. “Geochemical and Mineralogical Investigation of Uranium in Multi-Element Contaminated, Organic-Rich Subsurface Sediment.” Applied Geochemistry. 42 (2014): 77–85. doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.12.001.