A short qualitative analysis scheme without hazardous wastes

A Short Qualitative Analysis Scheme without Hazardous Wastes John T. petty1 Longwood College, Farmville, V A 23901 Most people who teach introductory chemistry courses would a m e e t h a t actual hands-on laboratow is - experience . essential for helping t h e student understand chemistry. One of t h e best wavs to introduce t h e student to some of the diverse behavior okthe various elements i s through t h e use of a qualitative analysis scheme. The classic scheme i s virtually foolproof and fail-safe. Unfortunatelv. i n a more modem era i t h a s flaws t h a t rcduce its utiji'ty. Many of its ions and reagents are toxic or carcinogenic or form hazardous wtl;itcs. Proper collection, storage, and disposal of these wastes can be even more expensive than buying the reagents themselves. An alternative was sought that would offer the students t h e same type of experience as the classic scheme (flow chart, division into erouns.. eood - senarations. clear tests) without its accompanying problems in h a n d ~ &or~disposal. The ions initially chosen were limited to aluminum, the a k a l i earths, and the first-row transition elements. Even among this limited set of ions, several had to be eliminated from the scheme. Either their wastes could not be disposed of easilv or thev proved difficult to separate and identify in ;