Chemistry Laboratory Research Articles

A Co-design Based Research Study: Developing Formative Assessment Practices with Preservice Science Teachers in a Chemistry Laboratory Setting

A Co-design Based Research Study: Developing Formative Assessment Practices with Preservice Science Teachers in a Chemistry Laboratory Setting

Initial study on natural fibers for use in concrete mixes as a sustainable materials alternative

Natural fibers are becoming a key point for the development of new concrete mixes because these fibers are recovered from residual biomass. In this paper, we focus on the natural fib‘ers found in the Metropolitan District of Quito, Ecuador. For this purpose, we searched for materials (fibers) available in the Chemical Engineering laboratory at Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. In this paper, we analyze different literature on how the use of fibers influences the mechanical properties of concrete. Based on this analysis and the materials at the laboratory, we have developed recommendations on which natural fibers are of interest for further experimental research. Furthermore, this paper provides an understanding of how natural fibers influence the mechanical properties of concrete. It also proposes a process for the selection and study of any type of natural fiber for further replicability in mix analysis.

Spectroscopic Monitoring and Modeling Drug Dissolution for Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum.

The pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry has become the largest industrial sector for the employment of chemists, indicating a need for experiments with a pharmaceutical sciences context in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. In the pharmaceutical industry, testing drug dissolution is a key analytical task for solid oral dosage forms that is performed in different phases of drug development to test the release behavior of new formulations, ensure consistency between manufacturing lots, and help predict the in vivo absorption of the drug substance after administration. However, there are a limited number of laboratory experiments in dissolution testing developed for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. To help students obtain hands-on experience in dissolution testing, a protocol has been developed for an undergraduate chemistry laboratory course for students to build a dissolution apparatus, monitor dissolution processes, model the dissolution to extract kinetic parameters, and evaluate the consistency between dissolution curves with FDA regulated methods. Students successfully collected dissolution curves and completed the modeling analysis with nonlinear least-squares fitting. The designed dissolution protocol has been evaluated to have consistency and reproducibility to be implemented in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory curriculum.

Maturity Model for Sustainability Assessment of Chemical Analyses Laboratories in Public Higher Education Institutions

The increasing demand for sustainable products and services has become a constant requirement for the different stakeholders in an organization. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) have a crucial role in training conscious and competent professionals to lead these changes. Chemical analyses laboratories bring together the proper mix, where the adoption of mature and efficient management systems proves to be crucial not only to better train the institutions’ human resources but also to cooperate in recruiting research projects and other services to benefit society. Maturity models assist in the needed stages for sustainable growth to take place. This paper proposes a maturity model based on standardized norms to guide adjustments related to quality, risks, safety, and environment of chemical analyses laboratories in public higher education institutions. This research was done in four stages: theoretical research about maturity models, sustainability, and integrated management systems; survey with laboratories; case study at a chemical analyses laboratory of an HEI; and structuring and validating a maturity model. As the main results, it was observed that more than 80% of public laboratory managers believe it would be relevant to adopt a maturity model to help organize the laboratory’s internal and external processes. 86% of public laboratory managers understand that using management systems can contribute to hiring new services. We can also observe that 42.9% of public laboratory managers do not know any maturity model. As conclusion, the model includes eight dimensions, 31 subdimensions, and 204 management practices to assess and guide chemical analyses laboratories to sustainable maturity levels.

Argumentative Writing Workshop for Conceptual Learning and Weekly Writing for Knowledge Application in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories

Argumentative Writing Workshop for Conceptual Learning and Weekly Writing for Knowledge Application in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories

Analysis of aromatic carboxylic acid and calcium salt couples with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: Implications and comparison with in situ measurements at Mars' surface

Aromatic organic salts such as benzoates or phthalates may be widespread degradation products of organic molecules at the surface of Mars. The low volatility of these aromatic carboxylic salts could have compromised their detection through thermal extraction in situ analyses such as those performed by the Viking landers. However, over the years, analytical chemistry laboratories on board current and future Martian surface missions, such as the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on board the Curiosity rover and the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) instrument of the Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover, respectively, have evolved. These instruments have improved in efficiency to detect refractory and polar organic compounds, which could influence the detection of aromatic organic salts. To evaluate the capability of detecting aromatic organic salts on Mars with in situ instruments, we performed laboratory experiments under Viking, SAM, and MOMA-like Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) conditions with two carboxylic acid/salt couples: phthalic acid/calcium phthalate and benzoic acid/calcium benzoate. We studied the behavior and signatures of both molecular forms when using pyrolysis and derivatization experiments and the implications of these results in the search for organic molecules on Mars. This study showed that the Viking experiments could not have detected the presence of aromatic carboxylic salts in Martian samples because its maximum pyrolysis temperature was too low (500 °C). However, we showed that calcium benzoate and calcium phthalate, despite their refractory nature, could be identified indirectly through the detection of thermal and derivatized degradation products, both with SAM and MOMA. No conclusive proof of the presence of these aromatic organic salt species have been found in the SAM in situ data but given the right instrumental set-up they could be detected if present. The conclusions of this work raise essential questions on the detectability of refractory molecules, the analytical efficiency of flight instruments, and the interpretation of in situ data.

The formation of research in the field of chemical technology of ceramic and composite materials in Komi Scientific Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1980-1990-ies)

The work is devoted to the history of the formation of one of the scientific directions currently developing at the Institute of Chemistry of the Federal Research Center "Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences". The subject of the study is the process of formation and development of research in the field of materials science and chemical technology of ceramic and composite materials in the Laboratory of Chemistry and Solid State Physics of the Department of Chemistry of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the 1980s and 1990s. The main attention is paid to the study of the prerequisites for the creation, conditions and main stages of the laboratory, the mechanisms of interaction between a research institution and industrial enterprises of the republic, the analysis of the influence of external factors on the choice of subjects and the development of scientific research, the role of the personality of a scientist in the history of science. The methodological basis of the research is the principle of historicism, a problem-chronological approach, according to which the formation of a scientific direction in an academic institution was studied in the context of the history of industrial development of the region. Based on the documents stored in the funds of the Scientific Archive of the Komi Scientific Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and published works, the history of the organization and operation of the laboratory of chemistry and solid state physics was reconstructed for the first time. It is established that one of the main factors that determined the process of formation and development of research in the laboratory during this period was the availability in the republic of promising reserves of mineral raw materials suitable for use in obtaining functional ceramic and composite materials; the necessary research base; the development of high-tech industries in the Komi ASSR. Scientists have been working on the creation of physico-chemical bases for the production of high-tech materials with special properties (magnetic, electrophysical, etc.) based on the mineral raw materials of the republic. New materials with special physical and chemical characteristics obtained in the laboratory were introduced into production, which contributed to the development of the region's industry.

Abstract 1655 Lessons Learned from the First Implementation of Malate Dehydrogenase CUREs in Biochemistry, Biology, and Chemistry Lab Courses

Abstract 1655 Lessons Learned from the First Implementation of Malate Dehydrogenase CUREs in Biochemistry, Biology, and Chemistry Lab Courses

Synthesis and Characterization of Hexathiosianatoiron(II) [Fe(NCS)6] 4- Complex Compound and Tetrapyridindithiosianatoiron(II) [Fe(NCS)2(Py)4] Complex Compound

This research aims to synthesize and characterize the complex compounds Hexathiocyanatoiron(II) [Fe(NCS)6] 4- and Tetrapyridinedithiocyanatoiron(II) [Fe(NCS)2(Py)4]. The synthesis of these complex compounds was conducted in the Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medan State University, while magnetic susceptibility measurements were carried out using the Magnetic Susceptibility Balance (MSB) instrument in the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Bandung Institute of Technology. The complex compound synthesis involved the reaction of Iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate with Potassium thiocyanate and Pyridine compound in a 1:2 and 1:2:4 molar ratio. The synthesis process was conducted through a direct reaction method in a polar solvent. The obtained results include Hexathiocyanatoiron(II) complex compound, [Fe(NCS)6] 4-, which is pale yellow crystalline with a yield of 32.76%, and Tetrapyridinedithiocyanatoiron(II) complex compound, [Fe(NCS)2(Py)4] which is dark purple crystalline with a yield of 52.62%. These compounds exhibit a melting point of 219℃. Magnetic susceptibility measurements using the MSB instrument revealed a magnetic susceptibility of 6.69 BM (paramagnetic) for the Hexathiocyanatoiron(II) complex[Fe(NCS)6] 4-, and a magnetic moment of 5.61 BM (diamagnetic) for the Tetrapyridinedithiocyanatoiron(II ) complex [Fe(NCS)2(Py)4].

Validation of the efficacy of pooled serum for serum glucose inhouse quality control material in comparison with commercial internal quality control in clinical chemistry laboratory

BackgroundThis study aimed to create an in-house glucose quality control material for humans, addressing the challenge of obtaining high-cost commercially prepared quality control materials in developing countries. MethodsAn in-house quality control material for glucose was prepared using a pooled serum sample and analyzed using a fully automated chemistry analyzer following the ISO 80 guidelines. The mean, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variance were calculated from the first 30 days of measurement, and the variability was checked over eight months using SPSS software. The study used Pearson's correlation with a 95% confidence interval and a P-value less than 0.05, which was statistically significant. ResultsThe average mean ± SD of human serum glucose was 185.2 ± 8.4 mg/dL, indicating that the precision between each measurement was better. The prepared in-house quality control material was stable for approximately five months without any significant change in the serum glucose concentration (mg/dl) (p-value<0.05). ConclusionsThe study suggests that room-temperature, 2–8 °C, and −20 °C to −30 °C storage of human serum samples for glucose analysis is a viable option, with stable glucose concentrations for up to 30 days. Pooled serum is a cost-effective method for in-house quality control, especially in resource-limited laboratories.

Metal–Organic Frameworks in General Chemistry Laboratory: Toward the Development of Students’ Scientific Identities

Metal–Organic Frameworks in General Chemistry Laboratory: Toward the Development of Students’ Scientific Identities

A Mixed Reality-Based Chemistry Experiment Learning System to Facilitate Chemical Laboratory Safety Education

A Mixed Reality-Based Chemistry Experiment Learning System to Facilitate Chemical Laboratory Safety Education

Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of instant red ginger from various volumes of added water

The aim of this research is to obtain the right volume of water in ginger juice extract that has the best effect on the physicochemical and sensory properties of instant ginger. The research was carried out from March to May. The location of this research was carried out at the Agroindustry Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture and Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tadulako University, Palu. Research parameters include yield, water content, pH test, antioxidant activity and sensory tests with ginger juice extract and water treatment formulations, namely, (100g:100mL), (100g:150mL), (100g:200mL), (100g:250mL), (100g:300mL). The research results showed that the ratio of ginger juice extract and water at an added volume of 300 mL of water provide the best physicochemical and sensory characteristics of instant ginger drink. Yield, antioxidant activity, aroma, taste, preferences have a tendency increases with increasing water volume, while water content, pH and IC50 decrease.

Precision matters: Repeatability and reproducibility of total PSA and homocysteine measurements in Alinity i-system.

The precision of test measurements is critical in clinical diagnostics, especially for biomarkers like total PSA and homocysteine, which are essential to disease assessment. Using the CMIA approach, this study investigates the repeatability and reproducibility of these biomarkers on the Abbott Alinity system. The present study was conducted in the clinical chemistry laboratory at Mohammed VI University Hospital of Oujda. The evaluation of the Alinity i-system's analytical performance for total PSA and homocysteine focused on assessing repeatability and intermediate precision. The assessment followed the protocols and guidelines established by the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC). Our analysis yielded favorable findings regarding the performance of the Alinity assays. The coefficients of variation for both the within-run and between-run precision were less than 5.89% and 4.29%, respectively. These findings produce acceptable outcomes compared to the manufacturer's claims and the SFBC database. Our study underscores the tests' precision, affirming the CMIA method's reliability in measuring total PSA and homocysteine levels. The assessment of the Alinity i-system for total PSA and homocysteine showed significant analytical performance. Our findings have implications for laboratory personnel, researchers, and physicians supporting a continuous diagnostic accuracy improvement culture.

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Larutan Natrium Bisulfit Terhadap Karakteristik Manisan Pala Basah (Myristica fragrans Houtt)

Since long ago nutmeg was a popular commodity with high economical value, especially as spices. Nutmeg fruit could be processed into candied nutmeg, as an effort of food diversification. Problem in candied nutmeg production was the browning reaction. After having peeled, the color of flesh will change brown. This condition can lower the quality of nutmeg as raw material in food industry. One of the methods can be applied to prevent the browning reaction is by soaking nutmeg flesh in sodium bisulfite solution. Research had been conducted to find out the effect of soaking nutmeg flesh in sodium bisulfite at Chemistry Laboratory Agriculture Faculty Ma’soem University. The objective of the research was to determine the right solution of sodium bisulfite to produce the finest characteristic of candied nutmeg. The experimental method was applied in this research with six treatments; 500 ppm (A), 750 ppm (B), 1000 ppm (C), 1200 ppm (D), 1500 ppm (E), dan 1750 ppm (F), and each of the treatments was repeated four times. Monitoring was held on total soluble solid, vitamin C, sulfite residue, and organoleptic test on color, aroma, flavor and texture. Statistic analysis used variance analysis and proceeded by Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Result of the research showed that sodium bisulfite solution gave a significant effect on total soluble solid, sulfite residue, color and aroma. Vice versa, sodium bisulfite solution had no effect on vitamin C, flavor and texture. The 1500 ppm of solution produce the finest characteristics of candied nutmeg.

Status Hara N, P dan K serta Produktivitas Tanaman Karet Pada Dua Tapak Lahan Berbeda

Rubber plant productivity is often hampered because the availability of nutrients in the soil is not sufficient for plant needs. Some rubber productivity results in Karang Intan Village only reach 1,500-2,000 kg.ha-1.th-1 and some reach 2,000-3,000 kg.ha-1.th-1. Generally, the maximum yield of superior latex clones reaches 2,500-3,000 kg.ha-1.th-1. Given this background, it is necessary to conduct this research with the aim of knowing the status of N, P and K nutrients at location A (low productivity) and location B (high productivity). This research was carried out from July to September 2021. Sampling used in this research was purposive sampling method, sampling was conductedin Karang Intan Village, Kuranji District, analyzed of soil sample was at the Soil Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Soil, Faculty of Agriculture, Lambung Mangkurat University, after that the data obtained from the results of the analysis categorized the level of fertility. The results showed that the Total-N, Total-P, Available-P, Total-K, Available-K in Locations A and B were not significant (Ortogonal Contrast Anova) so that these nutrients could not be used as factors that caused differences in rubber plant productivity. Ammonium and nitrate in Location B is higher than Location A, the difference in these values ​​is a factor that causes differences in the productivity of rubber plants in Karang Itan Village, Kuranji District.

Machine vision-based detections of transparent chemical vessels toward the safe automation of material synthesis

Although robot-based automation in chemistry laboratories can accelerate the material development process, surveillance-free environments may lead to dangerous accidents primarily due to machine control errors. Object detection techniques can play vital roles in addressing these safety issues; however, existing detection models still suffer from insufficient accuracy in environments involving complex and noisy scenes. With the aim of improving safety in a surveillance-free laboratory, we report a deep learning (DL)-based object detector, namely, DenseSSD. For the foremost and frequent problem of detecting positions of transparent chemical vessels, DenseSSD achieved a mean average precision (mAP) over 95% based on a complex dataset involving both empty and solution-filled vials, greatly exceeding those of conventional detectors; such high precision is critical to minimizing failure-induced accidents. Additionally, DenseSSD was observed to be generalizable to other laboratory environments, maintaining its high precisions under the variations of solution colors, camera view angles, background scenes, experiment hardware and type of chemical vessels. Such robustness of DenseSSD supports that it can universally be implemented in diverse laboratory settings. This study conclusively demonstrates the significant utility of DenseSSD in enhancing safety within automated material synthesis environments. Furthermore, the exceptional detection accuracy of DenseSSD opens up possibilities for its application in various other fields and scenarios where precise object detection is paramount.

Insights from semi-structured interviews on integrating artificial intelligence in clinical chemistry laboratory practices

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI) is gradually transforming the practises of healthcare providers. Over the last two decades, the advent of AI into numerous aspects of pathology has opened transformative possibilities in how we practise laboratory medicine. Objectives of this study were to explore how AI could impact the clinical practices of professionals working in Clinical Chemistry laboratories, while also identifying effective strategies in medical education to facilitate the required changes.MethodsFrom March to August 2022, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted at the Section of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan, in collaboration with Keele University, Newcastle, United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect information from diverse group of professionals working in Clinical Chemistry laboratories. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. They were asked what changes AI would involve in the laboratory, what resources would be necessary, and how medical education would assist them in adapting to the change. A content analysis was conducted, resulting in the development of codes and themes based on the analyzed data.ResultsThe interviews were analysed to identify three primary themes: perspectives and considerations for AI adoption, educational and curriculum adjustments, and implementation techniques. Although the use of diagnostic algorithms is currently limited in Pakistani Clinical Chemistry laboratories, the application of AI is expanding. All thirteen participants stated their reasons for being hesitant to use AI. Participants stressed the importance of critical aspects for effective AI deployment, the need of a collaborative integrative approach, and the need for constant horizon scanning to keep up with AI developments.ConclusionsThree primary themes related to AI adoption were identified: perspectives and considerations, educational and curriculum adjustments, and implementation techniques. The study’s findings give a sound foundation for making suggestions to clinical laboratories, scientific bodies, and national and international Clinical Chemistry and laboratory medicine organisations on how to manage pathologists’ shifting practises because of AI.

Flash Organometallic Catalysis Uncovered by Continuous Microfluidic Devices.

The flash organometallic catalysis is a new concept that refers to the study of fast and controlled organometallic catalytic reactions by using microfluidic devices. Flash reactions' kinetics (ms-s scale) is often ignored due to the lack of proper research tool in organometallic chemistry. The development of microfluidic systems offers the opportunity to discover under-studied mechanisms and new reactions. In this concept, the basic theory of kinetic measurement in a microreactor is briefly reviewed and then two examples on studying flash organometallic catalytic transformation are introduced. One example is the discovery of a highly active palladium catalytic species for Suzuki Coupling and the other example is the study of a neglected isomerization catalytic cycle with a time scale of seconds before isomerization-hydroformylation by customized microfluidic devices. The last part is summary and prospect of this new area. Customizing a microfluidic device with good engineering design for a target reaction supports flash reactions' kinetic experimentation and could become a general strategy in chemistry lab.

Cryogen-free 400-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer as a versatile tool for pharmaceutical process analytical technology.

The discovery of new ceramic materials containing Ba-La-Cu oxides in 1986 that exhibited superconducting properties at high temperatures in the range of 35 K or higher, recognized with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987, opened a new world of opportunities for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMRs) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) to move away from liquid cryogens. This discovery expands the application of high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials to fields beyond the chemical and medical industries, including electrical power grids, energy, and aerospace. The prototype 400-MHz cryofree HTS NMR spectrometer installed at Amgen's chemistry laboratory has been vital for a variety of applications such as structure analysis, reaction monitoring, and CASE-3D studies with RDCs. The spectrometer has been integrated with Amgen's chemistry and analytical workflows, providing pipeline project support in tandem with other Kinetic Analysis Platform technologies. The 400-MHz cryofree HTS NMR spectrometer, as the name implies, does not require liquid cryogens refills and has smaller footprint that facilitates installation into a chemistry laboratory fume hood, sharing the hood with a process chemistry reactor. Our evaluation of its performance for structural analysis with CASE-3D protocol and for reaction monitoring of Amgen's pipeline chemistry was successful. We envision that the HTS magnets would become part of the standard NMR and MRI spectrometers in the future. We believe that while the technology is being developed, there is room for all magnet options, including HTS, low temperature superconducting (LTS) magnets, and low field benchtop NMRs with permanent magnets, where utilization will be dependent on application type and costs.