Back to previous Page.. Syllabus for the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 333L, 1 credit) July 1, 2004
Notes: 1. This syllabus can be found at http://webpages.shepherd.edu/evolker/main.htm
2. The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. It is not a contract.
Instructor: Dr. Eugene J. Volker, 304 876 5285 (office) , evolker@shepherd.edu. Outside of class, communicate with email, if possible.
Content: A constantly changing selection of experiments introducing students to laboratory techniques used in environmental chemistry. The following experiments were performed the last time the course was offered.
1. Simulation of acid rain. Conducting a chemical reaction, using acid-base indicators, learning basic laboratory techniques, including the safe handling of toxic gases.
2. Measurement of the fungal marker, ergosterol, in maple leaf litter. Ester hydrolysis, solvent extraction, use of an internal standard, HPLC, data treatment and statistics with Excel.
3. Determination of the UV-VIS absorption characteristics of sunscreens. Diode-array UV-VIS, data treatment and statistics with Excel.
4. The water-soil distribution coefficient of the pesticide, atrazine. Moisture content of soil, organic content of soil by ignition, external standard, HPLC, correlation of the distribution coefficient with organic content of the soil, data treatment and statistics with Excel.
5. VIS spectrophotometric analysis for phosphate ion in natural waters. Colored complex formation, VIS spectrometer, correlation of phosphate content with source of water, data treatment and statistics with Excel.
6. Analysis of methyl t-butyl ether in gasoline by GC and selected ion mass spectrometry. Internal standard, GC-MS, method of standard additions, quantitation by selected ion abundance, data treatment and statistics with Excel.
7. Removal of nickel ion from water followed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Preparation of solutions at different pH's, use of a flocculating agent, use of the AA spectrometer, data treatment and statistics with Excel
Textbook: The instructor will provide scientific papers and experimental protocols.
Notebook: The student must keep a notebook describing each experiment according to the instructions provided in the handout, "The Laboratory Notebook".
Grading: An "A" is given to the student who obtains 87.5% or more of the (required) points possible for the course, a "B" if he/she is within the next 12.5% bracket, and so on. You can compute your grade at any time during the course. Let's say you have a 60 and an 80, respectively, on the first two exams. The maximum possible score being 100 and 100, you are at (140/200)*100=70% and you have earned a "C".