When the Kitchen Turns into a Physical Chemistry Lab

Al‐Soufi, Wajih; Carrazana-García, Jorge A.; Novo, Mercedes

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00745

Cited by 37 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In 2020–2021, some laboratory experiments were carried out using digital images. We could cite polymer degradation, determination of iron(III) in water, calculation of food dye adsorption isotherms, quantitative analysis of food dyes, determination of biodiesel content in diesel oil, the analysis of salivary amylase using starch from food as a substrate, and determination of starch in banana …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of Nitrite in Food and Water Samples Using the Griess Assay and Digital Images Acquired Using a Desktop Scanner

Filgueiras¹,

Jesus²,

Borges³

2021

J. Chem. Educ.

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The Griess assay is widely used by regulation agencies as an official method for nitrite quantification in water and food samples. In Brazil, the official method, which has been used to determine nitrite in food, was described by Instituto Adolfo Lutz (283/IV) in 1984. It uses 8 mL of reactants and provides 50 mL (reactants plus sample) of waste per sample analyzed. Here, students scaled down the official method 50 times and quantified nitrite in water and food samples by using just 0.2 mL of the Griess reactant and 1 mL of sample. Quantitative analysis was carried out using absorbance measured at 540 nm (standard method) and 96-well-plate images (proposed method) obtained with a desktop scanner. The nitrite was extracted from solid food samples by heating it in a water bath. After heating, sample color and turbidity were eliminated by addition of K4[Fe(CN)6] and ZnSO4 solutions and filtering. During samples preparation, students evaluate the heating time effect in nitrite extraction from sausage samples using hypothesis tests. Students did a series of matrix matched samples to observe the matrix effect. Students also calculated the detection limit (DL) and the quantification limit (QL) for the proposed method (1.35 and 4.1 μmol/L nitrite, respectively) and for the standard method (1.1 and 3.4 μmol/L nitrite, respectively). DL and QL were determined using the standard deviation of the lowest concentration point on the standard curve. The major pedagogical value of this laboratory class was to scale down the official method and use it to prepare and analyze a solid food sample. As a learning model, finding real water samples, which have nitrite concentrations larger than method QL, was a hard task, but all sausage samples analyzed had larger nitrate concentrations than the method QL and nitrite quantification in sausages was a good learning model.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of Nitrite in Food and Water Samples Using the Griess Assay and Digital Images Acquired Using a Desktop Scanner

Filgueiras¹,

Jesus²,

Borges³

2021

J. Chem. Educ.

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“…Recent research in chemical education has shown that an overwhelming majority of students who participate in kitchen chemistry voice satisfaction with it, even in distance courses that were rapidly forced into it from a traditional setting . In order to keep students on track with the assignments, the experiments can be accompanied by a synchronous instruction session before each experiment, where the professor may review relevant concepts . Of course, the TA and professor may be available for video conferencing during experimentation, but only if synchronous experimentation is selected for the course.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hands-On Laboratory Experience Using Adhesives for Remote Learning of Polymer Chemistry

et al. 2021

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Teaching chemistry without access to a traditional laboratory space is an ongoing challenge that has become especially relevant because of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While several remote learning options exist for covering general chemistry concepts (including kitchen-based experiments, online modules, and virtual reality), few options provide opportunities for hands-on learning about the chemistry of synthetic polymer materials. Here, we offer remote learning modules that use household adhesives as a platform for teaching polymer chemistry outside of the laboratory. These modules are designed for students who have taken at least one semester of organic chemistry and have varied hands-on time commitments, ranging from 2 to 10 total hours each. Concepts covered include polymer synthesis, intermolecular interactions, thermomechanical properties, structure–function relationships, and molecular design. The experiments described in these modules also give students a chance to practice research-relevant skills such as searching for primary literature sources, fabricating test samples, explaining unexpected experimental results, and revising experimental procedures to improve methodologies. Ultimately, these modules provide educators with an additional tool for teaching experimental chemistry outside of the laboratory.

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“…Since then, many papers appeared on various aspects of applying these principles. The recent COVID 19 pandemic-stricken era with extensive campus lockdowns resulted in canceled scheduled practical activities for chemistry students, just to witness a further impetus to this approach. − The sudden constraint of switching to online education is well exemplified by a 1000+ pages long special issue of Journal of Chemical Education on “Insights gained while teaching chemistry in the time of COVID 19” with over 180 articles enlisting dozens of papers devoted to exploitation of experiments based on household items, consumer products, kitchen settings, and in general, experiments carried out at home . This fact motivates the urgent reconsideration of the role of classical laboratory experiments in chemistry education. , …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Integrated Database of Common Chemicals and Chemistry Demonstrations and Student Experiments Used in Hungary

Kovács

Betyár²,

Korom

2021

J. Chem. Educ.

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Chemistry curricula in part rely on the use of laboratory demonstrations and experiments. The complex nature of this kind of educational activity has been posing challenges from the very early days of teaching chemistry. As chemistry is an experimental science, one possible approach to make the teaching of this subject more efficient is to use materials that students encounter in their everyday life. The present paper delineates our efforts to create an integrated database of common chemicals and their use in Hungarian elementary and middle schools. The database combines two seemingly separate but intimately connected fields which has not been accomplished so far: a database of common chemicals and a database of chemistry laboratory demonstration experiments. The two databases with their own idiosyncrasies are connected through a common element, the components present in everyday chemicals. The database offers various levels of searching in both subdatabases and allows pre-and in-service teachers to design their own demonstrations and student experiments, based on common chemicals, that best fit their curricula in context-, project-, inquiry-, discovery-, and phenomenon-based education. The application of our database allows the facilitation of a conceptual change how chemistry and chemicals are contemplated both in and outside school.

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When the Kitchen Turns into a Physical Chemistry Lab

Cited by 37 publications

References 12 publications

Quantification of Nitrite in Food and Water Samples Using the Griess Assay and Digital Images Acquired Using a Desktop Scanner

Quantification of Nitrite in Food and Water Samples Using the Griess Assay and Digital Images Acquired Using a Desktop Scanner

Hands-On Laboratory Experience Using Adhesives for Remote Learning of Polymer Chemistry

An Integrated Database of Common Chemicals and Chemistry Demonstrations and Student Experiments Used in Hungary

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