|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1999
>
December
> |
|
In the Laboratory
|
|
|
|
Pesticides in Drinking Water: Project-Based Learning within the Introductory Chemistry Curriculum
|
Patricia B. O'Hara and Jon A. Sanborn
Department of Chemistry, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002-5000
Meredith Howard
Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
|
|
December 1999
Vol. 76 No. 12
p. 1673
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
Public concern has been expressed regarding low-level contamination of public drinking water with "xenoestrogens", which are manmade compounds that act like the growth stimulant, estrogen. A new introductory chemistry module is described, which has as its central theme the measurement of trace levels of these xenoestrogens in the form of pesticides in the Town of Amherst's public drinking water. After a basic introduction to sample handling and measurement of pH, temperature, and conductivity, the students travel in small groups to several sites to collect water and perform preliminary characterization of their samples. In subsequent weeks, they learn to perform various analytical techniques such as solid-phase extraction, GC-MS, ELISA, and absorption spectroscopy to measure the levels of the pesticides DDT, DDD, DDE, methoxychlor, and endosulfan, all of which are potent estrogen mimics. In addition to individual lab reports, students are asked to combine their results and analyze the data set to determine the mean concentration and the statistical significance. Finally, they use molecular modeling to explore the three-dimensional structure of three pesticide families and compare these structures to the steroid hormones whose actions they are purported to mimic.
|
|
| More Information |
 Citation |
OÕHara, Patricia B.; Sanborn, Jon A.; Howard, Meredith. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 1673.
|
Keywords |
Introductory / High School Chemistry; Teaching / Learning Aids; Problem-Based Learning; Environmental Chemistry; Mass Spectrometry
|
History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
November 10, 1999
June 23, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1999
>
December
> Page
1673
|
|
|
| Chemistry Teacher Connection |
|
The "Chemistry Teacher Connection" (CTC) is especially for high school chemistry teachers. For only $40/year, it offers an online-only subscription to CLIC along with membership in the Division of Chemical Education, normally $65/year. CTC subscribers receive access to all articles and supplements from 1996 through the current issue.
|
| C&EN CLICs |
|
Through special arrangement with the ACS, JCE High School CLIC is now able to provide subscribers with online access to Chemical & Engineering News articles that have been selected specifically for secondary science instructors and their students.
|
JCE Collections Available
|
Occasionally, collections of JCE back issues become available for donation to individual teachers, schools, or libraries. JCE matches collections with interested recipients. Recipients pay shipping costs or pick up the collection.
|
| Contributions Welcome |
| JCE welcomes your submission |
| Fishing for New Ideas |
 Always in the
process of
improving, CLIC
welcomes ideas and comments.
Email Us |
|
