Mercer On Mission
Mercer On Mission
Chemistry • Engineering

Belize

TRAVEL DATES:
May 11 – June 1, 2025
GENERAL INFO:
The Mercer On Mission program in Belize works to identify the presence of lead in paint and its effects on the environment. Students will learn how to sample and test paint using a variety of methods, including a Mercer-developed procedure that helps quantify lead in new paint for lower- and middle-income countries. In addition, students will have the opportunity to train and work alongside University of Belize students and faculty as well as with different government entities. Other potential projects include soil and water testing and training and policy development and implications. 

Meeting a Need

Belize does not currently regulate lead in paint, yet exposure to the heavy metal can cause lead poisoning and seriously harm a person’s health. It is especially dangerous for children, whose mental and physical development may be severely affected. The Mercer On Mission team is working with the University of Belize to determine if paint sold in the country contains lead.

What You'll Do

Mercer students will screen for lead in paint on murals, outdoor exercise equipment and playground structures, as well as newly purchased paint. Soil and water may also be tested. Students will learn how to screen for lead using Lumetallix, a proprietary spray that visually demonstrates where lead is present. They also will learn how to test paint for lead using a Mercer-developed method involving a portable X-ray fluorescence, or pXRF, analyzer to measure the amount of lead in the paint. Students will compile, analyze and report on the data collected.

Christian Grizzle

Fieldwork offers a completely different experience than classroom labs. In class, labs are often pre-planned and follow a set procedure, like a cookbook. But in fieldwork, you go out, collect your own data, and then work to make sense of it. It’s a much more dynamic and hands-on approach to learning chemistry.

Christian Grizzle
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, ‘24

Academic Courses

Students are required to sign up for six hours of credit. The registrar will enroll you in courses for your program, including one class from each of the program's faculty. Participating in this program allows students to receive four hours lab credit. Engineering students should contact Dr. Addie Buerck to discuss how this can work into their academic plan.

  • CHM 481: Getting the Lead Out
  • CHM 481L: Getting the Lead Out
  • ECV 491: Metal and Society

Faculty

  • Dr. Adam M. Kiefer – Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Dr. Addie Buerck – Assistant Professor of Environmental and Civil Engineering and Director of the Cecil Day Family Center for International Groundwater Innovation, School of Engineering

Latest MOM News

Interested?

Students interested in participating in a Mercer on Mission program will need to complete an online application before being considered for admission.
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