Keeping Analytical Chemistry Training Up-to-Date.

Abstract

The undergraduate analytical chemistry curriculum serves to equip students with the knowledge and skills for work outside of classroom training. As such, instructors face a challenging task in deciding the breadth and depth of topics for their courses to ensure their syllabi can remain up-to-date with today's needs. We propose that instructors consider covering capillary electrophoresis (CE) and lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technologies in their analytical chemistry courses. Past surveys of the curriculum show a noticeable lack of emphasis on these topics, which we feel is a missed opportunity and one that holds potential for the collective benefit of instructors and students. CE and LOCs are utilized in a diverse array of fields like biochemistry, pharmaceutical production, materials science, and environmental analysis, and their applications are becoming increasingly important amidst the growing movement toward environmentally sustainable practices and green chemistry. They are also more accessible in the analytical chemistry classroom compared with typical benchtop instruments due to the flexibility of their size and cost. This makes them easier to obtain, maintain, and transport for use and demonstration purposes. Additionally, interwoven in these topics are core concepts that are fundamental to analytical chemistry; thus, covering them will inherently reinforce students' understanding of fundamental knowledge. Therefore, we believe increased coverage of CE and LOCs can better prepare undergraduates for modern analytical chemistry work in various industries and fields of research.