Removing the pollutants from various wastewater is crucial to the environment, ecology, and humans. However, the pollutants are generally removed by chemical decomposition, which not only consumes a lot of energy but also produces carbon emissions. Electrochemical flocculation is effective to extract pollutant molecules and heavy ions from…

Enzymes, enzymatic kinetics, and enzyme inhibition are topics covered in undergraduate biochemistry textbooks, having perceptible relevance to everyday life. The experimental use of enzymes involved in basic physiologic processes may be of utmost pedagogic interest because they bring evidence on how a significant number of drugs are used to…

An experiment for the upper-level biochemistry laboratory is described in which students isolate a wild yeast from environmental sources and characterize the strain for its potential in the brewing industry. In addition to providing valuable experience in important biochemical techniques, this study also illustrates key principles of…

In this paper, we present a concise and technique-heavy route to the synthesis of dimedone for a second-year organic chemistry curriculum. Our preparation of dimedone guides students through a Michael addition followed by a Dieckmann cyclization, basic ester hydrolysis, and thermal decarboxylation, while allowing time for mechanistic discussion…

Metabolic Control Analysis (MCA) is a systems biology approach that measures the control of a metabolic step on the overall flux of a metabolic pathway. In undergraduate courses in biochemistry, learning of MCA can be encouraged by experimental activities demonstrating practical applications of the MCA theory. In this work, we present a laboratory…

Electrochemistry plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. It allows us to power our phones and cars and allows for the real-time monitoring of blood glucose levels. While electrochemistry is of vital importance and is a long-established field of chemistry, it is often neglected in modern curricula for STEM courses. Herein, we show that hands-on…

This paper reports the quantification of Ca, Mg, and Fe as micronutrients in different vegetables (spinach, sugar beets, and carrots) from raw and processed samples. Simple extraction procedures, titrations, and spectrophotometric analysis were used to determine the amounts of micronutrients before and after cooking. From the obtained results, an…

Multistep synthesis is a key capstone experience in organic laboratory instruction. Here, a four-step synthesis of avobenzone, an active component in sunscreens, has been developed that can be completed in two 4 h laboratory periods. This synthesis incorporates green principles and includes an aldol condensation, electrophilic addition of bromine…

The possibility of conducting laboratory experiments at home without using commercially available kits, which might also be overly expensive, seems to be a suitable approach for a distance chemistry laboratory. Thus, several hands-on experiments with household supplies have been developed aiming at fostering students' laboratory competencies, as…

The scope of this preliminary study revolves around investigating the effectiveness of experiential learning in upper-year science laboratory courses in a post-pandemic era. In this study we have explored two key questions: 1. Can experiential learning facilitate independent inquiry in an upper-year undergraduate laboratory in a post-pandemic era?…

This report describes a laboratory experiment for an undergraduate-level inorganic chemistry or biochemistry course involving the study of the kinetics of the catecholase activity of a synthetic nickel­(II)-oximate complex. A model substrate, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol(DBC), undergoes aerobic oxidation to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (DBQ) in the…

A multistep synthesis of a novel arylidene 3­(2"H")-furanone has been designed and optimized for the second-year organic laboratory. The three-step sequence consists of a nucleophilic substitution, intramolecular cyclization, and acid-catalyzed aldol condensation, and can be carried out within two 3 h laboratory periods. The final…

The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in early 2020, forced educational institutions in Thailand to chiefly rely on online learning during the government mandated lockdown for almost two academic years. Although migration to the online format seems to suit lectures, it is inadequate for laboratory courses since students could not do the experiment…

This paper examines the findings obtained in a chemistry laboratory course provided through online hands-on activities during the pandemic. Case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The data collection period was 8 weeks. The study was carried out with 16 third-year pre-service science teachers within the scope of a…

A Maker-oriented experimental course in general chemistry has been created by using digital tools, such as a computer, a pressure sensor, and data processing software, in combination with a new multiple expansion method and laboratory equipment to determine the vapor pressure precisely. In this Maker chemistry experiment, the pressure sensor…