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Detecting and Quantifying Microplastics in Bottled Water using Fluorescence Microscopy: A New Experiment for Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry Courses
摘要： Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles (<5 mm in size) that are ubiquitous in the environment and have even been detected in bottled water. In this laboratory experiment, suited for instrumental or environmental chemistry classes, students detect and quantify MPs in bottled water by filtering and staining them with Nile red dye prior to utilizing fluorescence microscopy. Instrumental concepts in fluorescence spectroscopy are reinforced as students build a low-cost fluorescence microscope and use it to collect images of the fluorescing MPs for counting purposes and assessing morphology. The exercise introduces students to MP pollution, an emerging field of chemical research, and motivates and engages them helping to form connections beyond the classroom. Each group detected MPs in their bottled water, and many were surprised by how many they found. Overall, the hands-on experiment received positive feedback from students, and postexperiment assessments showed marked improvement in their understanding of the principles of fluorescence and of the growing problem of MP pollution.
关键词： Analytical Chemistry,Upper-Division Undergraduate,Collaborative/Cooperative Learning,Water/Water Chemistry,Instrumental Methods,Environmental Chemistry,Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives
更新于2025-09-12 10:27:22
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Colloidally Stable CdS Quantum Dots in Water with Electrostatically Stabilized Weak‐Binding, Sulfur‐Free Ligands
摘要： Colloidal quantum dot (QD) photocatalysts have the electrochemical and optical properties to be highly effective for a range of redox reactions. QDs are proven photo-redox catalysts for a variety of reactions in organic solvents but are less prominent for aqueous reactions. Aqueous QD photocatalysts require hydrophilic ligand shells that provide long-term colloidal stability but are not so tight-binding as to prevent catalytic substrates from accessing the QD surface. Common thiolate ligands, which also poison many co-catalysts and undergo photo-oxidative desorption, are therefore often not an option. This paper describes a framework for the design of water-solubilizing ligands that are in dynamic exchange on and off the QD surface, but still provide long-term colloidal stability to CdS QDs. The binding affinity and inter-ligand electrostatic interactions of a bifunctional ligand, aminoethyl phosphonic acid (AEP), are tuned with the pH of the dispersion. The key to colloidal stability is electrostatic stabilization of the monolayer. This work demonstrates a means of mimicking the stabilizing power of a thiolate-bound ligand with a zwitterionic tail group, but without the thiolate binding group.
关键词： catalysis,nanotechnology,ligand design,quantum dots,water chemistry
更新于2025-09-11 14:15:04