A conventional Fourier-transform NMR spectrometer with a triple-axis gradient probe can function as a MRI imager. In this experiment students gain hands-on experience with MRI while they learn about important principles underlying the practice of NMR, such as gradients, multi-dimensional spectroscopy, and relaxation. Students image a biological…

Moderate-pressure catalytic hydrogenation is often overlooked as a classroom demonstration because of the awkwardness of the equipment and the time constraints required for the conversion of reactants to products. This article demonstrates the reduction of maleic acid in about 90 minutes. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Laboratory experiment is conducted to give the students practical experience with the principles of electronic absorbance spectroscopy. This straightforward approach creates a powerful tool for exploring many of the aspects of quantitative absorbance spectroscopy.

Trans-fat is a general term, which is mainly used to describe the various trans geometric isomers present in unsaturated fatty acids. Various techniques are now used for a quantitative measurement of the amount of trans-fats present in foods and cooking oil.

Raman Spectroscopy was the main topic of the 14th Annual James L. Waters Symposium, which was held in March 2003 at Pittcon. The development of the enabling technologies that have made Raman spectroscopy a routine analysis tool in many laboratories worldwide is discussed.

The evolution of Raman instrumentation from the time of the initial report of the phenomenon in 1928 to 2006 is discussed. The first instruments were prism-based spectrographs using lenses for collimation and focusing and the 21st century instruments are also spectrographs, but they use CCD cameras. The Lippmann filter technology that appears to…

The impact of array detectors in the field of Raman spectroscopy and all low-light-level spectroscopic techniques is examined. The high sensitivity of array detectors has allowed Raman spectroscopy to be used to detect compounds at part per million concentrations and to perform Raman analyses at advantageous wavelengths.

The limitations of Fourier transform (FT) Raman spectroscopy, which is used to detect and analyze the scattered radiation, are discussed. FT-Raman has served to revitalize a field that was lagging and the presence of Raman instrumentation as a routine analytical tool is established for the foreseeable future.

A laboratory experiment designed as part of an upper-level undergraduate analytical chemistry course is described. Students investigate two popular soft drinks (Red Bull Energy Drink and sugar-free Red Bull Energy Drink) by NMR spectroscopy. With assistance of modern NMR prediction software they identify and quantify major components in each…

A study was conducted to visualize the reason why the Fourier transform technique is useful to detect the originating frequencies of a complicated superposition of waves. The findings reveal that students respond well when instructors adapt pictorial presentation to show how the time-domain function is transformed into the frequency domain.

The [Co(4-pyrimidinolate)[subscript 2](H[subscript 2]O)[subscript n]] species, which can be easily and selectively prepared by simple addition of aqueous solutions of the 4-pyrimidinolate organic ligand to Co(II) acetate (or nitrate) aqueous solutions (n = 4, 6) or by controlled heating of the hydrated phases (n = 0), proved to be versatile…

Semiconductor quantum dots are at the forefront of materials science chemistry with applications in biological imaging and photovoltaic technologies. We have developed a simple laboratory experiment to measure the quantum-dot size from fluorescence spectra. A major roadblock of quantum-dot based exercises is the particle synthesis and handling;…

This article focuses on the accuracy of satellite data, which may then be used in wave power applications. The satellite data are compared to data from wave buoys, which are currently considered to be the most accurate of the devices available for measuring wave characteristics. This article presents an analysis of satellite- (Topex/Poseidon) and…

Upon stimulation, areas of the brain associated with specific cognitive processing tasks may undergo observable physiological changes, and measures of such changes have been used to create brain maps for visualization of stimulated areas in task-related brain "activation" studies. These perturbations usually continue throughout the period of the…

A practical hands-on course encompassing enzyme purification, biochemical characterization, and crystallization that completed the course work of 350 second-year bachelor students enrolled in molecular biology/biochemistry was given at the Universite Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg (France). The experimental part of the practical dealt entirely with…