Practical Applications of Organic Chemistry: Improving Student Knowledge of GC–MS through Qualitative Analysis of Nicotine in Electronic Cigarette Vapors

Abstract

Given student familiarity with electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), this lab uses a student-built smoke collection apparatus to collect e-cig vapors to teach students about gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS). Students in a second semester, introductory organic chemistry course spent 1 week collecting e-cig vapors and 1 week qualitatively analyzing the data collected. In the real-world, the amount of nicotine inhaled by the consumer from an e-cig is going to depend on many variables including the vaping device used, inhalation rate, and voltage applied by the e-cig. This experiment allows students to simplify the vaping process and focus on the collection of nicotine in the e-cig vapor. Students compared the retention time of nicotine with an injection standard, quinoline, whose structural similarities provided strong discussions about the role of polarity and boiling points in chromatography. This injection standard ensured that all students would minimally be able to compare the retention time of two structurally similar compounds. Each lab group analyzed different e-cig liquids. Students improved upon their ability to interpret mass spectrometry data by predicting fragmentation patterns for both nicotine and quinoline. This lab experiment serves as a connection between lecture and lab material, while promoting student engagement and learning. The students who performed this experiment increased their knowledge of GC−MS and built foundational chemistry skills that can be applied to solve other realworld questions.

Analysis of Cannabinoids in Lotions Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

“…Additionally, another noteworthy laboratory experiment was already designed for an organic chemistry course that outlined a multistep synthesis of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, a cannabinergic ligand, and exposed the students to regioselectivity purification. 21 Other laboratory experiments using chromatography have been published in the Journal of Chemical Education where students participated in a qualitative study of nicotine electronic cigarettes that utilized GC-MS. 22 Due to frequent discrepancies observed in the advertised cannabinoid content, along with limited cannabis research at the education level, there is a need for further investigation into cannabinoid containing products as it is a relatable application for students. 15,16,18,20,22 As CBD products continue to gain popularity, it is vital for chemistry and forensic science students to gain experience with cannabinoid analysis that they may use in their careers.…”

“…21 Other laboratory experiments using chromatography have been published in the Journal of Chemical Education where students participated in a qualitative study of nicotine electronic cigarettes that utilized GC-MS. 22 Due to frequent discrepancies observed in the advertised cannabinoid content, along with limited cannabis research at the education level, there is a need for further investigation into cannabinoid containing products as it is a relatable application for students. 15,16,18,20,22 As CBD products continue to gain popularity, it is vital for chemistry and forensic science students to gain experience with cannabinoid analysis that they may use in their careers. The laboratory experiment discussed in this paper can fulfill the need in forensic science, analytical chemistry, and organic chemistry courses to introduce students to the analysis of cannabinoid containing products.…”

“…Additionally, another noteworthy laboratory experiment was already designed for an organic chemistry course that outlined a multistep synthesis of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, a cannabinergic ligand, and exposed the students to regioselectivity purification . Other laboratory experiments using chromatography have been published in the Journal of Chemical Education where students participated in a qualitative study of nicotine electronic cigarettes that utilized GC-MS …”

GC–MS Analysis of Essential Oil Extracted from Acori tatarinowii Rhizoma: An Experiment in Natural Product Analysis

“…Therefore, two devices (Soxhlet and Clevenger) are used for EO extraction from ATR, separately. , That is, the EOs of ATR are extracted by two different extraction principles: solvent extraction with a Soxhlet extractor and hydrodistillation with a Clevenger-type apparatus. In the second week of the experiment, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is used to identify compounds of the extracted EOs, − and the differences of the chemical components obtained by the two extraction methods are compared.…”

Development of a Low-Cost and Versatile Gas Chromatography System for Teaching Analytical Chemistry

“…Gas chromatography (GC) is a core component of analytical chemistry and a fundamental branch of chemical research, e.g., biomedical fields, environmental fields, energy conversion, and more. While there are a wide variety of GC experiments available for chemical education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, − students are often trained to operate a GC system only at a superficial level due to the fact that most research grade chromatography equipment requires extensive calibration and is expensive to repair. It is not often that a student can take a GC system apart and study the interior components.…”