Dr. Valbona Celo

Chemist - ICP-MS laboratory Supervisor

Current research and/or projects

Contributing to Environment Canada's initiatives to protect the health of Canadians and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollutants and other harmful or dangerous substances

  • Development of novel methodologies for analysis of trace metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
  • Investigation of sources and trends of trace metals in airborne particulate matter
  • Precise and accurate analysis of stable isotope ratios of specific elements (i.e. Pb and Ag) in airborne particulate matter and other environmental media

Professional activities / interests

Developing new methods for the analysis of emerging trace metals such as platinum group elements and lanthanoids in various environmental matrices using microwave extractions and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry.

Applying advanced statistical methods for source apportionment and trend analysis for trace elements in particulate matter.

Providing advice to Environment Canada programs on analysis of metals in the environment.

Education and awards

Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Fitchburg State University (Massachusetts, USA), 1997

NSERC Scholarship, University of Ottawa, 2004

Visiting Fellowship in Canadian Government Laboratories, Environment Canada, 2004-2006

Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry, University of Ottawa, 2003

MSc (1990), Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, University of Tirana, Albania, 1994

Key publications

Celo, V., E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, J. Zhao, I. Okonskaia, and D. Bowman. 2011. An improved method for determination of lanthanoids in environmental samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with high matrix introduction system. Anal. Chim. Acta, 706: 89-96

Dabek-Zlotorzynska, E., T. Dann, P.K. Martinelango, V. Celo, D. Mathieu, L. Ding, C. Austin, and J.R. Brook. 2011. Canadian National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) PM2.5 Speciation Program: Methodology and PM2.5 Chemical Composition for the Years 2003 to 2008. Atm. Environ., 45: 673-686

Jeong, C.-H., M. McGuire, D. Herod, T. Dann, E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, D. Wang, L. Ding, V. Celo, D. Mathieu, and G. Evans. 2011. Receptor Model Based Identification of  PM2.5 Sources in Canadian Cities. Atmos. Poll.  Res., 2: 158-171

Luo, Y., V. Celo, E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, and L. Yang. 2011. Effects of precipitation and UV photolysis on Ag isotope ratio: experimental studies J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 27: 299-304

Celo, V., E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, D. Mathieu, and I. Okonskaia. 2010. Validation of a Simple Microwave-Assisted Acid Digestion Method using Microvessels for Analysis of Trace Elements in Atmospheric PM2.5 in Monitoring and Fingerprinting Studies. The Open Chem. and Biomed. Methods J., 3: 141-150

Celo, V. and E. Dabek-Zlotorznynska. 2010. Concentration and Source Origin of Trace Metals in PM2.5 Collected at Selected Canadian Sites within the Canadian National Air Pollution Surveillance Program, in Urban Airborne Particulate Matter:  Origin, Chemistry, Fate and Health Impacts, Zereini, F. and Wiseman, C.L.S., Editors., Springer Verlag.  : Berlin. p. 19-38

Luo, Y., E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, V. Celo, D. Muir, and L. Yang. 2010. Accurate and Precise Determination of Silver Isotope Ratios in Environmental Samples by MC-ICP-MS. Anal. Chem., 82: 3911-3928

Yang, L., E. Dabek-Zlotorzynska, and V.Celo, 2009. High Precision Determination of Silver Isotope Ratios in Commercial Products by MC-ICP-MS. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 24: 1564 – 1569

Celo, V. and S.L. Scott, 2006. Abiotic methylation of mercury in the aquatic environment. Sci. Total Environ., 368: 126-137

Celo, V. and S.L. Scott, 2005. Kinetics and Mechanism of the Hg(II)-assisted hydrolysis of Methyl Iodide. Inorg. Chem., 44: 2507-2512