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1999
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December
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In the Laboratory
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An Undergraduate Field Experiment for Measuring Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Indoor Environments
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Adam M. Marsella, Jiping Huang, David A. Ellis, and Scott A. Mabury
Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, CANADA
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December 1999
Vol. 76 No. 12
p. 1700
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| Abstract |
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An undergraduate field experiment is described for the measurement of nicotine and various carbonyl compounds arising from environmental tobacco smoke. Students are introduced to practical techniques in HPLC-UV and GC-NPD. Also introduced are current methods in personal air sampling using small and portable field sampling pumps. Carbonyls (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and acetone) are sampled with silica solid-phase extraction cartridges impregnated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, eluted, and analyzed by HPLC-UV (360-380 nm). Nicotine is sampled using XAD-2 cartridges, extracted, and analyzed by GC-NPD. Students gain an appreciation for the problems associated with measuring ubiquitous pollutants such as formaldehyde, as well as the issue of chromatographic peak resolution when trying to resolve closely eluting peaks. By allowing the students to formulate their own hypothesis and sampling scheme, critical thinking and problem solving are developed in addition to analysis skills. As an experiment in analytical environmental chemistry, this laboratory introduces the application of field sampling and analysis techniques to the undergraduate lab.
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| Supplement |
TA demo/background information and instructions (with figures) are provided.
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| More Information |
Citation |
Marsella, Adam M.; Huang, Jiping; Ellis, David A.; Mabury, Scott A. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 1700.
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Keywords |
Analytical Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Chromatography; Laboratory Instruction
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History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
November 10, 1999
November 22, 2005
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| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1999
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December
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1700
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