Analysis of Complex Mixtures in Complex Media: A New Undergraduate Course

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This project provides funds to purchase a Nicolet gas chromatography/Fourier-transform infrared (GC/FTIR) system, which is one of the primary instruments to be used in a new laboratory course entitled Analysis of Complex Mixtures in Complex Media. Used in conjunction with existing department analytical equipment and a microwave digestion unit provided by a local manufacturer, this instrument permits faculty to implement a program in which undergraduate chemistry majors are taught the laboratory techniques necessary to perform organic analysis of complex systems such as soils, water, biological samples, food, and other multicomponent mixtures. The purpose of this is to provide undergraduates, especially those whose terminal degrees are a bachelor's, the skills necessary to perform well in areas such as industrial or environmental chemical analysis. The GC/FTIR system plays an important role in these types of analysis, since the more popular mass spectrometer (MS) or GC/MS techniques often fail to provide the information necessary to distinguish between similar compounds (e.g., geometric and substitution isomers) of identical molecular weight.