ERIC Number: EJ1443226
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jul
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
Available Date: N/A
A Cost-Effective Microfluidic Device to Teach the Principles of Electrophoresis and Electroosmosis
Tyler A. Shaffer; Carlos U. Herrada; Avery M. Walker; Laura D. Casto-Boggess; Lisa A. Holland; Timothy R. Johnson; Megan E. Jones; Yousef S. Elshamy
Journal of Chemical Education, v100 n7 p2782-2788 2023
Electrophoresis is integral to analytical and biochemistry experiences in undergraduate education; however, fundamental principles of the method are often taught in upper-level laboratories through hands-on experiences. A laboratory activity is reported that teaches the concepts of electrophoretic mobility and electroosmotic flow. A single reuseable instrument, called a mini-E, costs 37 USD and consists of a DC power supply, a voltmeter, platinum electrodes, and a chip cast in polydimethylsiloxane. This activity uses common reagents costing only 0.02 USD per student. Experiments are devised that allow students to investigate the properties of electrophoretic flow and electroosmotic flow by separating the two commonly used food dyeing agents Brilliant Blue FCF and Allura Red AC in vinegar and in a solution of ammonium hydroxide. A dark-purple mixture of these dyes is separated into red and blue bands that are easily visualized. The migration order of the dyes differs when the separation is performed under conditions of reversed polarity and suppressed electroosmotic flow (vinegar) compared to conditions of normal polarity and active electroosmotic flow (ammonium hydroxide). When delivered to chemistry majors, students had a significant gain in their ability to apply the concepts of electroosmosis and electrophoresis to predict analyte migration. Although this activity targets upper-level chemistry content, it can also be adapted for other laboratory experiences.
Descriptors: Chemistry, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods, Cost Effectiveness, Scientific Concepts, Scientific Principles, Biochemistry, College Science, Undergraduate Students, Laboratory Training, Hands on Science, Science Activities, Laboratory Experiments, Majors (Students)
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Chemistry (CHE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 2004021; 1852369
Author Affiliations: N/A