Students analyze commercial mouthwash solutions in order to identify the dyes which are present and determine the alcohol content. After lowering the alcohol content by heating, a solid phase extraction tube is used to extract and separate the dyes. A spectrophotometer is used to determine the absorbent maximum in each sample of eluate and the value obtained is compared with a list of standard values. A gas chromatograph is used to determine the concentration of alcohol in the original mouthwash sample. The project was made possible through a van project which carries the instruments and resource teachers to the author's high schools.
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Citation
Siegrist, Eleanor ; Anderson, Guy. J. Chem. Educ.1997 74 567.
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