Retention of Science Majors Through Different Avenues of General Chemistry Education

For the past two academic years, the chemistry division at Longwood University has implemented POGIL methodology in some sections of the general chemistry sequence for science majors. Initially we were interested in determining if students exposed to POGIL were more successful in general chemistry than those students that were not exposed to this teaching pedagogy. Subsequent studies compare conceptual learning outcomes of POGIL versus non-POGIL students and also try to determine if SAT and GALT scores are a good predictors of student success in general chemistry. This project also addresses the following question:do science majors exposed to POGIL pedagogy in first semester general chemistry demonstrate increased success in subsequent chemistry courses compared to those students with no POGIL experience? Details about POGIL implementation and challenges as well as the methods of assessment used are discussed

Environmental Analysis of Toxic Metals Produced by Cigarette Smoking

Trace metal elements introduced into our environment from anthropogenic sources can become toxic at high levels contributing to a host of human and animal health problems. The purpose of this work is to initially characterize toxic metals present in cigarette tobacco and ash using Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (ETAAS). The broader impact of this study is to assess the environmental effects of cigarette smoking around designated smoking areas on the Longwood University campus. Smokers may not be informed about the potential harm to the environment from ashing directly on the ground. If the toxic metals present in cigarette ash are not completely volatilized during smoking, they could accumulate over time in the soil adjacent to campus-designated smoking areas. The area surrounding the smoking facilities could, therefore, serve as a starting point for the introduction of toxic metals into the food chain, ground water, or nearby storm water system

Direct Immunosensor Design Based on the Electrochemical Reduction of 4-((4-Nitrophenyl) ethynyl) benzenethiol Monolayers

The synthesis and characterization of novel N-arylhydroxylamine-based molecular wires are described for use in the site-directed covalent immobilization of whole IgG antibodies onto gold electrode surfaces. The hydroxylamine, electrochemically generated in situ from reduction of the corresponding nitrobenzene, is stable under a wide range of solution conditions and reacts selectively with carbohydrate away from the antibody-binding site to allow the development of immunosensors with maximal activity. Cyclic voltammetric responses have shown a direct correlation between the structure and length of the molecular wire and its stability and concentration at the electrode surface

Determination of Nitrate in Aqueous Media

Determining the amount of inorganic ions in aqueous media is important in the food industry and environmentally. In the environment high levels of ions like nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate can lead to unhealthy conditions for aquatic species. Similarly, high levels of nitrate and nitrite can cause health issues in humans. One method for determining nitrate levels in aqueous samples involves reducing the nitrate species to nitrite via a redox reaction with finely divided zinc powder followed by conversion to a diazonium salt and complexation with 1-napthylamine to form a colored complex. In the work described herein, this modified version of the Griess reaction was used to spectrophotometrically determine the amount of nitrate in several environmental and food samples

Determination of Nitrate in Aqueous Media

Determining the amount of inorganic ions in aqueous media is important in the food industry and environmentally. In the environment high levels of ions like nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), and phosphate (PO43-) can lead to unhealthy conditions for aquatic species. Similarly, high levels of nitrate and nitrite can cause health issues in humans. One method for determining nitrate levels in aqueous samples involves reducing the nitrate species to nitrite via a redox reaction with finely divided zinc powder followed by conversion to a diazonium salt and complexation with 1-napthylamine to form a colored complex. In the work described herein, this modified version of the Griess reaction was used to spectrophotometrically determine the amount of nitrate in several environmental and food samples