Implementation of an Environmental Focus in an Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission and Ion Chromatography

西卡罗莱纳大学（WCU）是南阿巴拉契亚山脉的一所主要的本科院校，其化学教师正在开发一种以环境为重点的课程。这一重点先前由阿肯色州立大学和WCU在美国国家科学基金会的支持下开发，基于WCU生态多样性的地理位置和学生在环境科学方面的就业记录，这是一个自然的契合。正在实施新颖的环境实验，以促进学生在以下方面的学习：(1)监测环境样品中的元素和离子，如土壤、水和空气；(2)新生化学实验室化学废弃物的处理与监测；(3)利用天然水系论证溶解度和络合离子形成的基本原理；(4)分析方法开发；(5)本科生研究。电感耦合等离子体-光学发射光谱法（ICP-OES）和离子色谱法（IC）是促进上述学习的有力技术，在环境分析中得到广泛应用。利用环境应用，ICP-OES和IC仪器正在纳入课程，以实现上述学生的学习。使用该仪器的新实验包括在普通化学课程中评估土壤肥力，在初级水生化学课程中表征鳟鱼孵化和饲养设施的废物对水质的影响，以及在高级环境化学课程中测量我们地区高海拔地区的空气质量。仪器分析课程是处理新生化学实验室的化学废物，并通过ICP-OES监测金属水平。高级仪器分析II的学生正在使用基于项目的实验室进行学习方法的开发，这是贝茨学院在国家科学基金会的支持下开发的。该仪器在一个充满活力的本科生研究项目中得到了应用。我们使用这种新方法的研究结果将通过教学期刊（化学教育期刊）和一个网站进行传播。

The Chemistry faculty at Western Carolina University (WCU), a primarily undergraduate institution in the Southern Appalachians, are developing an environmental focus to the curriculum. This focus, previously developed at Arkansas State University and WCU with NSF support, is a natural fit based on the ecologically diverse location of WCU and the students' employment record in the environmental sciences. Novel, environmental experiments are being implemented to promote student learning in (1) monitoring elements and ions in environmental samples, such as soil, water, and air; (2) the treatment and monitoring of chemical waste from freshman chemistry laboratories; (3) using natural water systems to demonstrate the fundamental principles of solubility and complex-ion formation; (4) analytical method development; and (5) undergraduate research. Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and ion chromatography (IC) are powerful techniques to facilitate the learning discussed above and are widely used in environmental analysis. Using environmental applications, ICP-OES and IC instruments are being integrated into the curriculum to achieve the student learning described above. Novel experiments involving this instrumentation include the evaluation of soil fertility in our general chemistry course, the characterization of the effects of waste from trout hatching and rearing facilities on water quality in a junior-level Aquatic Chemistry course, and the measurement of air quality at high elevation sites in our region in a senior-level Environmental Chemistry course. An Instrumental Analysis class is treating chemical waste from a freshman chemistry laboratory, and monitoring the levels of metals by ICP-OES. The senior-level Instrumental Analysis II students are employing project-based laboratories for learning method development, as developed at Bates College with NSF support. The instrumentation is finding applications in a vigorous undergraduate research program. Our findings using this novel approach are to be disseminated through pedagogical journals (Journal of Chemical Education) and a web site.