Department of Chemistry Faculty
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Stephen B. H. Bach

Stephen B. H. Bach

  • Visiting Research Scientist: 1997, 1994, 1992, AFOSR, Brooks AFB
  • National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate: 1989-1991, Naval Research Laboratories
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate: 1988-1989, University of Florida
  • Ph. D., Physical Chemistry: 1987, University of Florida
  • Certificate of Business Administration: 1983, University of Cincinnati
  • B.S., Chemistry: 1983, University of Cincinnati
  • B.A.,German Literature: 1983, University of Cincinnati

Research Interests

  • Molecular Recognition: using mass spectrometry to characterize the strength of and structures of complexes involving catecholamines and ionophores using ESI and collision-induced dissociation
  • Environmental Chemistry: investigating the utility of solid phase micro extraction in the analysis of water samples using a portable mass spectrometer, the analysis of arsenic in soils using LCMS and the host-guest chemistry of pytochelatins with heavy metals
  • Matrix Isolation/FTIR Spectroscopy: investigating the weakly bound species and transition state complexes between high energy metal atoms and small molecules

My work experience includes research, both in academia and at government laboratories, and of course teaching. I established the Chemistry Mass Spectrometry Facility in 1994 with the donation of a Finnigan 5100 GC/MS instrument from Brooks AFB. The facility currently consists of a Bruker REFLEX III matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) reflectron mass spectrometer, with delayed extraction, collision-induced dissociation, and post source decay capabilities, and with Bruker's BioTools software for protein analysis; a Finnigan LCQ Duo ion trap mass spectrometer capable of MS9, with atmospheric pressure ionization and an electrospray ionization (ESI) source and TurboSequest software for protein/peptide analysis and Mass Frontiers for assisting in MS analysis; a SpectraSystem HPLC system consisting of a SCM 1000 degasser, P4000 narrow bore quaternary pump, an AS3000 narrow bore autosampler and an UV6000LP PDA detector system; a Finnigan PolarisQ GCMS ion trap mass spectrometer capable of MS5 with a trace GC, with the NIST 01 library and autosampler (all acquired through the Capital Equipment Allocation for Fiscal Year 2000-2001 funds); a Finnigan TSQ 700 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, fast atom bombardment, cesium ion gun, electron impact ionization and chemical ionization (donated from Abbot Laboratories, Chicago, IL); a Fissons VG PlasmaQuad inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for elemental analysis (donated from Brooks AFB); a Finnigan Incos 50B GCMS (donated from PPG, Lake Charles, LA); and a Voyager DE MALDI-TOF (donated from the UTHSC-SA). The instruments are maintained in house by Dr. Bach and Mr. Mullens.

Research projects cover a broad spectrum of chemistries. Molecular Recognition: using mass spectrometry to characterize the strength of and structures of complexes involving catecholamines and ionophores using ESI and collision-induced dissociation. Environmental Chemistry: investigating the utility of solid phase micro extraction in the analysis of water samples using a portable mass spectrometer, the analysis of arsenic in soils using LCMS and the host-guest chemistry of pytochelatins with heavy metals. Matrix Isolation/FTIR Spectroscopy: investigating the weakly bound species and transition state complexes between high energy metal atoms and small molecules. I have also mentored over 60 undergraduate students and over 10 graduate students.


 Positions Available


If the information above or in any of the related sites interests you, please feel free to contact me.

Opportunities for financial support are available on a competitive basis.

Selected Publications
  1. "Complexes of Dibromo(ethylenediamine)-Palladium(II) Observed from Aqueous Solutions by Electrospray Mass Spectrometry", S.B.H. Bach, T.G. Sepeda, G.N. Merrill, J.A. Walmsley, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectro., 2005, 16, 1461.
  2. "Rapid Analysis of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Soils", V.B. Casunuran, S.B.H. Bach, D. Sarkar, Environmental Geosciences, 2003, 10, 139.
  3. "Assignment of a Combination Band due to ONNO in Rare Gas Matrices and Density Functional Calculations on Cis- and Trans-ONNO", J.F. Canty, E.G. Stone, S.B.H. Bach, D.W. Ball, Chem. Phys., 1997, 216, 81.
  4. "A Pneumatically Powered Mechanical Translator-Rotator for the Direct Laser Vaporization of Solid Materials", E.G. Stone and S.B.H. Bach, Rev. Scient. Instru., 1997, 68, 1547.
  5. "Production of Aluminum Clusters by Direct Laser Vaporization of Aluminum Nitride", S.B.H. Bach, S.W. McElvany, N.M. Wong, D.C. Parent, Chem. Phys. Lett.,1993, 209, 57.
  6. "Comparative Study of Separation Methods for Human Whole Saliva by MALDI-TOF-MS", Linda Nagore, Conor Mullens, Lexi Mitchell, Robert Christy, John Kalns, Stephan B.H. Bach, Proceedings of the 53rd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Seattle, WA, 2006.
  7. "Using MS/MS Databases to Find Biomarker Protein Clips", Conor P. Mullens, Stephan B.H. Bach, Robert J. Christy, John Kalns, Linda Nagore, Proceedings of the 53rd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Seattle, WA, 2006.
  8. "Electrochemical Effects in Nano-ESI-MS as Probed by Arsenic Speciation", Conor P. Mullens, Linda I. Nagore, Erin Snow, Stephan B.H. Bach, Proceedings of the 53rd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, San Antonio, TX, 2005.
  9. "Biomarker Discovery using Magnetic Beads and MALDI-TOF", Linda I. Nagore, Conor P. Mullens, Won I. Kim, John E. Kahns, Robert J. Christy, Cole M. Zimmerman, Stephan B.H. Bach, Proceedings of the 53rd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, San Antonio, TX, 2005.
  10. "Quantitative Analysis of 8-Nitroguanine", Linda I. Nagore, Conor P. Mullens, Stephan B.H. Bach, John Kahns, Eric Holwitt, Proceedings of the 52nd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Nashville, TN, 2004.
  11. "Analysis of the Effects of Lead Complexation with Iridium(III) Chloro-Complexes in Solution using Nano-Spray ESI-MS", Conor P. Mullens, Stephan B.H. Bach, Waldemar Gorski, Proceedings of the 52nd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Nashville, TN, 2004.
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