Introducing ICP-MS to Enhance Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Curricula

该项目涉及使用国际电感耦合等离子体质谱系统。有毒金属的痕量测定是环境化学、分析化学和临床化学领域的一个重要问题。因此，在环境和分析化学课程中引入电感耦合等离子体质谱仪是必要的，以使我们的学生了解金属离子分析的最新发展。受益于该项目的学生包括修读环境化学学士学位所需的高级环境化学课程的学生，以及修读所有化学专业所需的仪器分析课程的学生。此外，该系统还可用于环境化学和地质科学的本科生定向研究。此前已经使用商业环境实验室的电感耦合等离子体质谱仪设计和测试了四个新的实验。这些实验将被引入本科环境和分析化学课程，以加强这两门课程，并为学生提供使用和应用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪的实践经验。学生分析各种样本，包括地面和饮用水、城市颗粒物、人体头发和其他临床样本。在适当的时候，他们遵循环保局批准的方法和协议进行分析。在分析化学课程中讨论了电感耦合等离子体质谱仪的原理、工作原理和硬件组成。该项目促进了一项技术的学习，该技术可用作环境和生物化学以及地质学方面的科学调查的强有力的分析工具。

This project involves the use of an ICP-MS system. The determination of trace levels of toxic metals is a critical issue in the fields of environmental, analytical, and clinical chemistry. Therefore, introduction of ICP-MS in the environmental and analytical chemistry curricula is essential in order to keep our students abreast of the latest developments in metal ions analysis. Students benefiting from this project are those taking senior level environmental chemistry courses required for our B.S. Environmental Chemistry degree, and those taking instrumental analysis courses required for all Chemistry majors. In addition, the system is available for directed undergraduate research in environmental chemistry and geological sciences. Four new experiments had previously been designed and tested using the ICP-MS of a commercial environmental laboratory. These experiments are being introduced into the undergraduate environmental and analytical chemistry curricula in order to enhance the two curricula and to provide students with hands on experience in the use and application of ICP-MS. Students analyze a variety of samples including ground and drinking water, urban particulate matters, human hair, and other clinical samples. When appropriate they follow E.P.A. approved methodologies and protocols to carry out their analyses. The theory, principle, and hardware of ICP-MS are discussed in the analytical chemistry lecture course. This project facilitates the learning of a technique which can be used as a powerful analytical tool for scientific inquiries in environmental and biological chemistry as well as in geology.