Education

Ph.D., Chemistry
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
Thesis: “Green Oxidation Technologies for Environmental Applications: Degradation of Persistent Pollutants by FeIII-TAML®-Activated Hydrogen Peroxide and Kinetic and Mechanistic Studies”
(Advisor: Prof. Terrence J. Collins)

M.S., Chemistry
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA

B.S., Chemistry
Specialization: Inorganic Chemistry
University of Bucharest, Romania
Thesis: “Synthesis and Characterization of Heteropolymetallic Systems Containing 3d and 4f Metal Ions as Molecular Precursors for Superconducting Ceramic Materials”
(Advisor: Prof. Ariana Antoniu)

Research Interests

  • Design, synthesis and characterization of new activators of peroxides.
  • Design, synthesis and characterization of MOF for catalytic application.
  • Application of complexes as amperometric sensors for peroxides.
  • Mechanistic studies of the reaction between catalysts and different oxidizing agents using conventional and transient kinetic.
  • Comparative study of reactivity of hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides, and inorganic oxidizing agents in the catalyzed bleaching of different substrates.
  • Investigation of catalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals, persistent pollutants, and personal care products. Analysis of degradation products.
  • Solid-phase synthesis of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers; synthesis and characterization of PNA-modified monomers and incorporation of transition metal ions into PNA duplexes.
  • Synthesis and characterization of polynuclear oxo-bridged complexes of manganese in various oxidation states, compounds with relevance in bioinorganic chemistry.
  • Synthesis and characterization of heteropolymetallic systems containing 3d and 4f metal ions as molecular precursors for superconducting ceramic materials.

    • Affiliations

  • Member, Collaborative on Health and the Environment, Science Working Group, 2005-present
  • Member, Environmental Defense, 2004-present
  • Member, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), 2004-present
  • Member, American Chemical Society, 2003-Present
  • Member, Romanian Chemical Society, 1998-present
  • Invited Member, Graduate Peer Mentor Group, CMU, 2005-2007
  • Invited Member, Committee to Review University Policy on Controversial Speakers, CMU, 2005-2006
  • Invited Member, Graduate Student Advisory Committee, Department of Chemistry, CMU, 2004-2007
  • Invited Member, Graduate Advisory Boards, Associate Provost of Graduate Programs Office, CMU, 2003-2007

    Awards


    • 2006 Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship, ACS Green Chemistry Institute, USA
    2006 Hugh D. Young Graduate Student Teaching Award, Mellon College of Science, CMU, USA
    2006 Graduate Student Assembly Conference Funding Award, CMU, USA
    2006 NSF Student Scholarship for the 10th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, USA
    2005 Graduate Student Assembly Conference Funding Award, CMU, USA
    2004-2005 Graduate Teaching Award, Department of Chemistry, CMU, USA
    National Merit Scholarships, University of Bucharest, Romania

     

    Publications

    Peer-reviewed journals (research papers)

    1. Popescu, D.-L., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Multibrominated Hyperbranched Polymers: Synthesis and Further Functionalizations by ARGET ATRP or Click Chemistry”, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2012, 33, 869-75.
    2. Popescu, D.-L., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Synthesis, Functionalization, and Reductive Degradation of Multibrominated Disulfide-Containing Hyperbranched Polymers”, Aust. J. Chem., 2012, 65, 28-34.
    3. “Catalase-Peroxidase Activity of Iron(III)-TAML Activators of Hydrogen Peroxide” Ghosh, A., Mitchell, D., Chanda, A., Ryabov, A. D., Popescu, D.-L., Upham, E., Collins, G., Collins, T. J.,  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130 (45), 15116-15126.
    4. “Mechanistically Inspired Design of FeIII-TAML Peroxide-Activating Catalysts”, Popescu, D.-L., Chanda, A., Stadler, M. J., Mondal, S., Tehranchi, J., Ryabov, A.D.,Collins, T.J., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130 (37), 12260-12261.
    5.  “High-Valent First-Row Transition-Metal Complexes of Tetraamido (4N) and Diamidodialkoxido or Diamidophenolato (2N/2O) Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Magnetochemistry” Popescu, D.-L.; Chanda, A.; Stadler, M.; Tiago deOliveira, F.; Ryabov, A. D.; Münck, E.; Bominaar, E. L.; Collins, T. J., – Coord. Chem. Reviews, 2008, 252, 2050-2071.
    6. “Attaining Control by Design over the Hydrolytic Stability of Fe-TAML Oxidation Catalysts” Polshin, V.; Popescu, D.-L.; Fischer, A.; Chanda, A.; Beach, E.; Henry, J.; Qian, Y.-L.; Horwitz, C.; Lente, G.; Fabian, I.; Münck, E.; Bominaar, E. L.; Ryabov, A. D.; Collins, T. J., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008; 130(13); 4497-4506.
    7. “(TAML)FeIV=O Complex in Aqueous Solution: Synthesis, Spectroscopic and Computational Characterization” Chanda, A.; Shan, X.; Chakrabarti, M.; Ellis, W. C.; Popescu, D.-L.; Tiago de Oliveira, F.; Wang, D.; Que, L., Jr.; Collins, T. J.; Münck, E.; Bominaar, E. L., Inorg. Chem., 2008, 47(9), 3669–3678.
    8. “Textile Industry: Environmental Impacts and Wastewater Treatment Methods” Popescu, D.-L., Gamaneci, G., Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Ambientum, 2008, LIII, 1-2, 239-246.
    9. “FeIII–TAML-Catalyzed Green Oxidative Degradation of Orange II by H2O2, Organic Peroxides: Products, Toxicity, Kinetics, and Mechanisms” Chahbane, N; Popescu, D.-L.; Mitchell, D. A.; Chanda, A.; Lenoir, D.; Ryabov, A. D.; Schramm, K.-W.; Collins, T. J., Green Chemistry, 2007, 9, 49-57.
    10. “High-Valent Iron Complexes with TetraAmido Macrocyclic Ligands (TAML): Structure, Mössbauer Spectroscopy, and DFT Calculations” Chanda, A.; Popescu, D.-L.; Tiago deOliveira, F.; Bominaar, E.; Ryabov, A. D.; Munck, E.; Collins, T. J., Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 2006, 100 (4), 606-619.
    11. “Metal Incorporation in Modified PNA Duplexes” Popescu, D.-L.; Parolin, T.; Achim, C., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2003; 125 (21); 6354-6355.  
       

    Books

    1. Calinescu, M., Ferbinteanu, M., Popescu, D-L., Ilis, M.V., “Chemistry Problems and Laboratory Experiments”, Ed. ARS DOCENDI, University of Bucharest, 2010.
       

    Patents and Invention Disclosures

    1. Terrence J. Collins, Anindya Gosh, Delia-Laura Popescu, CMU Invention Disclosure 2007-128 entitled “Facile Imbibing of Iron-Tetraamidomacrocyclic-ligand (Fe-TAML) Catalysts into Polymeric Materials” submitted on June 29, 2007.

    Presentations and lectures
    1. Delia-Laura Popescu, Tehnologii oxidative nepoluante, Workshop exploratoriu “La Taifas cu Diaspora Stiintifica Romaneasca”, CNCSIS, 17-19 Septembrie 2008, Bucuresti.
    2. Delia-Laura Popescu. Chimia verde şi protecţia mediului. The 7th Workshop of Young Researchers: Environmental Integrated Research and Sustainability, Bucharest, December 7, 2007
    3. Delia-Laura Popescu. Green Chemistry – A Tool for Environmental Protection. International Scientific Conference Economics and Globalization ECO-TREND 2007, 4th Ed, Tg-Jiu, November 23-24, 2007.
    4. Delia-Laura Popescu, Gheorghe Gamaneci, Textile Industry: Environmental Impacts and Wastewater Treatment Methods. International Symposium: Environment – Research and Protection, Environmental Science Faculty, Cluj-Napoca, October 26-28, 2007.
    5. Jacqui Tehranchi, Delia-Laura Popescu, Colin P. Horwitz, Terrence J. Collins. FeIII-TAML Catalyzed Degradation of Triclosan by Hydrogen Peroxide. American Chemical Society 233rd National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007.
    6. Peter Madsen, Delia-Laura Popescu, Melanie L. Vrabel, Colin P. Horwitz, Terrence J. Collins. Degradation of Pharmaceuticals using FeIII-TAML Activated Hydrogen Peroxide. American Chemical Society 233rd National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007.
    7. Terrence J. Collins, Arani Chanda, Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov, Victor Polshin,. On the mechanism of function of Fe-TAML oxidant activators. American Chemical Society 233rd National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007.
    8. Delia-Laura Popescu, Peter J. Madsen, Jacqui Tehranchi, Colin P. Horwitz, Terrence J. Collins. Green Oxidation Technologies for Environmental Applications: Degradation of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products by FeIII-TAML® Activated Hydrogen Peroxide, International Symposium in Organic Chemistry, Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec. 9-12, 2006.
    9. Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov, Terrence J. Collins. Understanding the Mechanism of Catalysis by FeIII-TAML® Activators, International Symposium in Organic Chemistry, Sofia, Bulgaria, Dec. 9-12, 2006.
    10. Delia-Laura Popescu, Nikolay V. Tsarevsky, Kristof Matyjaszewski, Terrence J. Collins. Polymer-supported FeIII-TAML activators: Synthesis, characterization, and applications. American Chemical Society 232nd National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Sept. 9-14, 2006.
    11. Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov, Terrence J. Collins. Towards Elucidation the Mechanism of Catalysis by FeIII-TAML® Activators. Gordon Conference on Green Chemistry, Oxford, UK, August 27 – Sept. 1, 2006.
    12. Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov and Terrence J. Collins, Transient and steady-state kinetic studies of FeIII-TAML® activators of H2O2 and organic    peroxides.  10th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, Washington, DC, June 26-30, 2006.
    13. Delia-Laura Popescu,  Arani Chanda, Douglas A. Mitchell, Naima Chahbane,  Karl-Weber Schramm, Dieter Lenoir, Alexander D. Ryabov, Terrence J. Collins, FeIII–TAML-catalyzed green oxidative degradation of Orange II: kinetic and mechanistic investigation. American Chemical Society 231st National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March, 2006.
    14. Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov, Terrence J. Collins. Towards Elucidation the Mechanism of Catalysis by FeIII-TAML® Activators. American Chemical Society 231st National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March, 2006.
    15. Terrence J. Collins, Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov. Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigation of the Reaction between FeIII-TAML® and Peroxides. American Chemical Society 230th National Meeting, Washington, DC, Aug. 28 - Sept.1, 2005.
    16. Delia-Laura Popescu. Insight into Mechanism of Reaction between Fe-TAML® Activators and Oxidizing Agents. Graduate Students/PostDoc Summer Seminar, Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, June 28, 2005.
    17. Terrence J. Collins, Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov. Reactivity of Hydrogen Peroxide, Organic Peroxides, and Inorganic Oxidizing Agents in the FeIII-TAML®-catalyzed Bleaching of Orange II. American Chemical Society 228th National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, Aug. 22-26, 2004.  
    18. Delia-Laura Popescu, Alexander D. Ryabov, Terrence J. Collins. Kinetic Investigation of FeIII-TAML Activators of H2O2 and Organic Peroxides. ACS-PRF Summer School on Green Chemistry, Pittsburgh, PA, July 31 - Aug. 7, 2004.
    19. Franzini, R.; Watson, R. M.; Popescu, D.-L.; Patra, G. K.; Achim, C. Metal-containing Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids. American Chemical Society 227th National Meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 28 - April 1, 2004.  
    20. Achim, C.; Popescu, D.-L.; Franzini, R.; Patra, G. K. Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids as Scaffold for Transition Metal Ions. American Chemical Society 226th National Meeting, New York, NY, Sept. 7-11, 2003.

     



    Top