|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
2000
>
December
> |
|
In the Laboratory
|
|
|
|
Applications of a U.S. EPA-Approved Method for Fluoride Determination in an Environmental Chemistry Laboratory: Fluoride Detection in Drinking Water
|
Gabrielle Rum, Wen-Yee Lee, and Jorge Gardea-Torresdey
Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968
|
|
December 2000
Vol. 77 No. 12
p. 1604
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
The purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate the benefits of using a United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)-approved method in an environmental chemistry course. The method selected involved the use of a combination fluoride electrode to determine the fluoride concentration in drinking water. Although it is beneficial to teeth, fluoride is extremely toxic, and its use in products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and drinking water is highly controversial. The laboratory not only accomplished the instruction of our students in the laboratory techniques and analytical procedures involved in water analysis for fluoride, it also piqued their interest in the environmental issues surrounding water fluoridation and made them more aware of the everyday environmental concerns that exist. We hope that the broad introduction given in this paper, as well as the demonstrated application of the analysis of fluoride in drinking water, provide adequate information for other instructors' use in an environmental chemistry course.
|
| Supplement |
Supplemental material for this article includes more information on the toxicity of fluoride, practical and theoretical details of the method, and a handout for students with a data sheet.
|
 Contents |
JCE2000p1604W.doc (Microsoft Word)
|
| Download |
|
|
| More Information |
Citation |
Rum, Gabrielle; Lee, Wen-Yee; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge. J. Chem. Educ. 2000 77 1604.
|
Keywords |
Analytical Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Instrumental Methods; Laboratory Instruction; Water / Water Chemistry
|
History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
November 3, 2000
August 31, 2005
|
|
Link to Cover added (April 2004).
|
|
|
|
| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
2000
>
December
> Page
1604
|
|
|
| JCE HS CLIC |
|
Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
|
| Contributions Welcome |
| JCE welcomes your submission |
| Advertisers |
| In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first. |
| Be An Ambassador |
| Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants. |
|
