Mac grad heads to the other side of the world to help find green alternatives to Teflon and “forever chemicals”

The stakes couldn’t have been higher for Erin Donahue-Boyle.

Mike Brook, her supervisor and a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, was hosting a meeting with Dr. Erin Leitao, a senior lecturer in chemical sciences with The University of Auckland. Mike and Dr. Leitao both do leading-edge research on sustainable chemistry. Dr. Leitao mentioned during the meeting that her lab, which creates new inorganic polymers, had just received funding to take on another graduate student.

Erin really wanted to be that grad student. She was finishing up her undergraduate degree in sustainable chemistry and hadn’t finalized plans for life after McMaster – grad school was one option, teacher’s college was also in play.

Mike asked Erin to give a five-minute talk about her research near the end of the meeting. “A super scientist and a super person” is how Mike describes Erin.

She’d started out in environmental science, discovered a love for chemistry and realized she could combine both. “Sustainable chemistry helps find solutions before there’s an environmental problem.” To help solve those problems, she had joined Mike’s research group in her third year.

Erin rose to the occasion and aced her presentation. “I was in the right place at the right time. It was a gift from heaven.”

The undergrad and the visiting prof started talking after the meeting and stayed connected. Erin is joining the Leitao Lab this fall after being accepted as a graduate student at the University of Auckland. She’s never travelled outside of Canada so she’s beyond excited. Her mom’s already made plans for an extended visit.

Erin will spend the next three years in the Leitao Lab researching green alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – a class of widely used compounds that are non-stick, water and oil-repellent. Teflon is one example, waterproof jackets are another. The problem is that these “forever chemicals” don’t break down in the environment, can move through soils, wind up in drinking water and build up in fish and wildlife. That’s spurring increased regulations around the world and a push for alternative compounds with the same benefits but none of the environmental and health risks.

Along with a degree in sustainable chemistry, Erin graduated from McMaster this June with conference awards, three papers in print or published and a provisional patent with Mike and Dan Chen on biodegradable silicone polymers. The patent overlapped with Erin’s senior research thesis so she spent the better part of seven months working on the project.

“We added gelatin – a natural material – into silicone rubbers that are used in everything from phone cases to contact lenses and bathroom caulking. The gelatin, and the chemical we use to hold the rubber together, degrade readily in the environment or when exposed to enzymes like bromelain. You can find bromelain in pineapple which is why you can never put in Jell-O,” says Erin, putting her communication skills to work for non-scientists.

So what will Erin miss most about McMaster while pursuing graduate studies 14,000 kilometres away? The people. She has a long list of people to thank. “Dr. Mike Brook for his supervision and support and for helping me to grow as a scientist and a communicator. Everyone in Dr. Brook’s research group who was so supportive and generous with their time.  Dr. Kylie Luska and Dr. Katherine Bujold for opening their office doors for conversations about chemistry and life. And my friend Clara Lalonde for listening to endless chemistry talk and being so awesome.

“Everyone in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology is so wonderful. They take the time to get to know you and really want you to succeed. It’s been so lovely to have been a part of that for the past four years.”