Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry in Undergraduate Instruction

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The goal of this project is to increase the quality of the education experience for all of our undergraduate chemistry students. Exposure to modern chemical techniques not only adds to the students' chemical knowledge base, it also allows the students to more accurately understand what "real" chemists do. This aspect is important for all chemistry students, not just our majors, Students who develop an understanding of modern chemical techniques should be able to act as informed, responsible citizens which is increasingly important as environmental issues continue to be of concern. In this project we are introducing students at all levels to a Hewlett Packard Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry system and are having them use this powerful technique for separation and identification of organic molecules.This project adapts a series of experiments, mainly from the Journal of Chemical Education, using these experiments as the basis of a project-based laboratory for instrumental analysis, an open-ended format for the organic chemistry laboratories, and an open-ended and expanded laboratory in environmental analysis. Non-majors taking Chemistry and the Environment, a four credit hour course with a lab, see how chemists use the GC-MS to analyze water samples and soil samples for organic pollutants. All chemistry majors use GC-MS in multiple courses during their academic careers. A typical student's exposure, at a minimum, occurs in four different laboratory courses. In addition, most chemistry majors participate in independent research and many opt for the environmental chemistry elective.