Chemist
Chemist

Biography

Shirmir Branch, a chemist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, focuses on developing technology for remote, real-time monitoring chemicals in extreme environments. She has led efforts to measure radioactive technetium-99 in spent nuclear fuel using electrochemical and spectroscopic analysis of luminescent Re/Tc(I)-tricarbonyl complexes. Branch has also studied the characterization of optically transparent microfabricated electrodes for the purpose of spectroelectrochemical analysis for targeted analytes.

Disciplines and Skills

  • Analytical chemistry
  • Spectroscopic analysis
  • Electrochemical analysis
  • Radiation II training

Education

  • Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, University of Cincinnati
  • B.S., Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • American Chemical Society

Publications

2024

  • Asmussen R.M., A.M. Westesen, C. Alvarez, R.A. Peterson, E. Cordova, H.M. Cho, and S.D. Branch, et al. 2024. "The Simultaneous Removal of Technetium and Iodine from Hanford Tank Waste." Chemical Engineering Journal 490, no. _:Art. No. 151449. PNNL-SA-189635. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2024.151449
  • Felmy H.M., R.M. Cox, A.F. Espley, E.L. Campbell, B.R. Kersten, H.E. Lackey, and S.D. Branch, et al. 2024. "Quantification of hydrogen isotopes utilizing Raman spectroscopy paired with chemometric analysis for application across multiple systems." Analytical Chemistry 96, no. 18:7220 - 7230. PNNL-SA-194339. doi:10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00802
  • Patenaude H.K., N. Damjanovic, J.M. Rakos, D. Weber, A.I. Jacobs, S.A. Bryan, and A.M. Lines, et al. 2024. "A Free-Standing Boron-Doped Diamond Grid Electrode for Fundamental Spectroelectrochemistry." Analytical Chemistry 96, no. 47:18605-18614. PNNL-SA-194619. doi:10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00906

2023

  • Branch S.D., H.M. Felmy, A. Schafer Medina, S.A. Bryan, and A.M. Lines. 2023. "Exploring the complex chemistry of Uranium within molten chloride salts." Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 62, no. 37:14901-14909. PNNL-SA-181742. doi:10.1021/acs.iecr.3c02005

2022

  • Schafer Medina A., H.M. Felmy, M.E. Vitale-Sullivan, H.E. Lackey, S.D. Branch, S.A. Bryan, and A.M. Lines. 2022. "Iodine and carbonate species monitoring in Molten NaOH-KOH Eutectic Scrubber via Dual-phase in situ Raman Spectroscopy." ACS Omega 7, no. 44:40456-40465. PNNL-SA-171166. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c05522

2021

2020

  • Lackey H.E., D.R. Bottenus, M. Liezers, S.D. Shen, S.D. Branch, J.A. Katalenich, and A.M. Lines. 2020. "A versatile and low-cost chip-to-world interface: enabling ICP-MS characterization of isotachophoretically separated lanthanides on a microfluidic device." Analytica Chimica Acta 1137. PNNL-SA-151307. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2020.08.049
  • Lines A.M., S.D. Branch, H.M. Felmy, J.M. Wilson, G.J. Lumetta, and S.A. Bryan. 2020. "On-line monitoring combined with spectroelectrochemistry for the characterization of uranium and fission products within molten salt environments." In International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference and TOP FUEL 2019 - Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global 2019), September 22-27, 2019, Seattle, WA, 1104-1106. La Grange Park, Illinois:American Nuclear Society. PNNL-SA-144352.

2019

2018

  • Branch S.D., A.D. French, A.M. Lines, B.M. Rapko, W.R. Heineman, and S.A. Bryan. 2018. "In situ quantification of [Re(CO)3]+ by fluorescence spectroscopy in simulated Hanford tank waste." Environmental Science & Technology 52, no. 3:1357-1364. PNNL-SA-128552. doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b04222
  • Branch S.D., A.D. French, A.M. Lines, C.Z. Soderquist, B.M. Rapko, W.R. Heineman, and S.A. Bryan. 2018. "In situ spectroscopic analysis and quantification of [Tc(CO)3]+ in Hanford tank waste." Environmental Science & Technology 52, no. 14:7796-7804. PNNL-SA-129388. doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b05840
  • Fountain M.S., S.D. Branch, and G.A. Gill. 2018. Separation and Speciation of Mercury from Hanford 241-AP-107 Tank Waste Supernatant. PNNL-28067. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Separation and Speciation of Mercury from Hanford 241-AP-107 Tank Waste Supernatant

2017

  • Branch S.D., A.M. Lines, J.A. Lynch, J.M. Bello, W.R. Heineman, and S.A. Bryan. 2017. "An Optically Transparent Thin-Film Electrode Chip for Spectroelectrochemical Sensing." Analytical Chemistry 89, no. 14:7324-7332. PNNL-SA-121883. doi:10.1021/acs.analchem.7b00258
  • Bryan S.A., B.M. Rapko, S.D. Branch, A.M. Lines, W.R. Heineman, and C.Z. Soderquist. 2017. Non-pertechnetate Technetium Sensor Research and Development. PNNL-26316. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Non-pertechnetate Technetium Sensor Research and Development

2014