Chemistry Department
Associate Professor
Gifted High School Advisor
Ph.D., Michigan State University
Fields: Analytical, Environmental
Email: ahupp@holycross.edu
Office Phone: 508-793-2502
Office: Haberlin 334
Lab: Smith Labs 36S
PO Box: C
Courses Taught
- CHEM 141
- CHEM 181
- CHEM 231
- CHEM 300
- CHEM 322
Research Interests
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel source produced via transesterification of fatty acids in plant oils and animal fats. Biodiesel is composed of a series of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) that are characteristic of the feedstock type. Biodiesel can be blended with traditional petro-diesel, a fossil fuel, in any proportion, but typically at a level of 20% or less (B20 or less). The Hupp Lab studies the FAME profiles of various feedstocks using Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry detection (GC-MS). With the rich data provided by GC-MS, we utilize chemometric methods, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS), to further characterize biodiesel feedstock source and concentration.
Publications
Karina Ramos, Alicia Riddell, Helen Tsiagras, Amber M. Hupp, “Evaluation of Biodiesel/Diesel Blends: Does Ultrafast Chromatography provide for similar resolution in less time?” Journal of Chromatography A. 1667 (2022) 462903.
Edward J. Soares, Alexandra J. Clifford, Carolyn D. Brown, Ryan R. Dean, Amber M. Hupp, "Balancing Resolution with Analysis Time for Biodiesel-Diesel Fuel Separations Using GC, PCA, and the Mahalanobis Distance" Separations. 6, 28 (2019) 1-13.
Amber M. Hupp, Joseph Perron, Ned Roques, John Crandall, Scott Ramos, Brian Rohrback, “Analysis of Biodiesel-Diesel Blends Using Ultrafast Gas Chromatography (UFGC) and Chemometric Methods: Extending ASTM D7798 to biodiesel” Fuel. 231 (2018) 264-270.
Mariel E. Flood, Mary P. Connolly, Michael C. Comiskey, Amber M. Hupp, “Evaluation of single and multi-feedstock biodiesel-diesel blends using GCMS and chemometric methods” Fuel. 186 (2016) 58-67.
Edward J. Soares, Gopal R. Yalla, John B. O'Connor, Kevin A. Walsh, Amber M. Hupp, "Hotelling Trace Criterion as a Figure of Merit for the Optimization of Chromatogram Alignment" Journal of Chemometrics. 29 (2015) 200-212.
Mariel E. Flood, Julian C. Goding, Jack B. O’Connor, Dorisanne Y. Ragon, Amber M. Hupp, “Analysis of Biodiesel Feedstock Using GCMS and Unsupervised Chemometric Methods” Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society. 91 (2014) 1443-1452.
Julian C. Goding, Dorisanne Y. Ragon, Jack B. O’Connor, Sarah J. Boehm, Amber M. Hupp, “Comparison of GC Stationary Phases for the Separation of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters in Biodiesel Fuels” Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 405 (2013) 6087-6094.
Stephanie A. Brouet, Amber M. Hupp “Promoting Student Interest in Chemical Concepts by Implementing Creative Learning Activities in a Chemistry in Society Course for NonScience Majors” Journal of Chemical Education. 90 (2013) 1349-1352.
Brian P. Blum, Amber M. Hupp, “Characterization of a Zwitterionic C18 Stationary Phase Used in Liquid Chromatography” The Nucleus LXXXIX, No 7 (March 2011) 8-13.
Amber M. Hupp, Victoria L. McGuffin, “Thermodynamic and Kinetic Characterization of Bridged-Ethylene Hybrid Stationary Phase” Journal of Chromatography A. 1217 (2010) 6241-6249.
Amber M. Hupp, Victoria L. McGuffin, “Comparison of Theoretical Methods for Extracting Retention Factors and Rate Constants in Liquid Chromatography” Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Related Technologies. 33(15) (2010) 1427-1458.
Amber M. Hupp, Lucas J. Marshall, Dahlia I. Campbell, Ruth Waddell Smith, Victoria L. McGuffin, “Chemometric Analysis of Diesel Fuel for Forensic and Environmental Applications” Analytica Chimica Acta. 606 (2008) 159-171.
Xiaoping Li, Amber M. Hupp, Victoria L. McGuffin. “The Thermodynamic and Kinetic Basis of Liquid Chromatography”, In Eli Grushka & Nelu Grinberg (Eds.), Advances in Chromatography. Vol. 45 (2006) Ch 1: 1-88, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.