Introduction of GC and GC-MS into First and Second Year Chemistry Courses

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The purpose of this project is to incorporate gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the first 2 years of coursework. Students are introduced to chromatography and mass spectrometry through a series of three experiments in the first semester general chemistry course. The final experiment in this set involves sample collection, extraction, and analysis of herbicides from local lakes, streams, and rivers. Students in a new interdisciplinary Environmental Analysis course use gas chromatography to measure methane production from different types of soils and incorporate their results into a simple global climate change model. Organic Chemistry students make extensive use of gas chromatography for assessing purity of reaction products, and GC-MS to determine the identity of products and by-products. Analytical Chemistry students utilize deuterated internal standards and selected ion monitoring to measure the concentration of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in local lake sediments. Analytical students also utilize the GCs and GC-MS in mini-research projects of their own design. By acquainting students with the principles of chromatography and the unique problem solving capabilities of GC-MS early in their chemistry experience, the project (1) creates excitement in lower division courses; (2) gives students confidence in their ability to utilize sophisticated instrumentation; (3) allows upper level courses to focus on problem solving capabilities of the instrumentation, rather than on details of operation; and, (4) allows students to pursue student-initiated research.