Modular Approach to Instrumental Analysis Richard L. Deming, W. Van Willis, and Harvey F. Janota California State University, Fullerton, CA 92634 Recent developments in modern instrumentation and ancomprehensive coverage of the details of many different methods within the framework of a single course. We have tried a new approach, based on a modular division of material, and have found it to be successful in meeting the needs of our students and in providing a flexible format For incorporating new topics. Our former Instrumental Analysis course involved two hours of lecture and six hours of lahoratory per week and was ooen to seniors who had alreadv comnleted one semester of our Integrated (Advanced) fahorabry or Biochemistry Laboratorv and to Master's Deeree candidates. The tonical coverage varied depending upon the interests of the faculty member hut eenerallv included ontical methods. electro" chemistry, separations, and magnetic resonance. Enrollments were not large ( M 2 ) due to the advanced nature of the course and the large time involved for completing four units of work. Students from areas other than analytical and physical chemistry were under-represented. Although there was potential for involving chemists from industrv, the scheduled
the teaching assistant or instructor is arranged. Most students are advanced enough to work independently since they are often engaged in Senior Research or Graduate Research. The laboratory k open one evening each week to accommodate students who cannot complete their experiments during daytime hours. Students may take from one to four units and may enroll in different modules in other semesters. Three units are necessary to meet the American Chemical Society certification reauirements for the BS decree. - . and four units are rewired of graduate students choosing this course option. Significant improvements resulted from this approach. Different faculty with particular specializations became involved on a more frequent basis since reswonsihilitv is sometimes for only one u'it coverage in considerable depth. New t o ~ i c can s he introduced as demand erows. The "Comouters and Interfacing'' module grew out of the recognitionbf the importance of including this t o p ~ cin the chemistry curriculum, as well as a particular faculty interest and the availability of a minicomputer. A separate module on electronics and instrument design is heing considered. Enrollments increased 40-100% and at least three working chemists were enrolled in each module. The late afternoon hours for lecture ( 4 6 pm) and shorter time involvement (one month per unit) were important reasons for the increase. The flexihle unit structure and varied topical coverage encourages more students to become involved in this advanced course. Students are able to elect those modules which most closely fit their oroiected career needs. Biochemistrv students tended to take "0&ical Spectroscopy," " ~ e ~ a r a t i o n sand , " "Radiochemistry" and inorganic chemistry students emphasized "Electrochemistry." The "Computers and Interfacing" module was elected by all specializations,and efforts are heing made to include the computer in lower division courses on a more limited basis. Separate coverage of topics is appropriate since each module is an in-depth "short course" with strong theoretical emnhasis. The course does not attemnt to inteerate all of these methods, except to the extent to wkch traceuanalysis is emphasized. Students may elect pre-designed experiments but are encouraged to define their own projects which might relate to a research oroiect . " or an on-the-iob analvtical oroblem. Student-designed projects in polymer characterization helped to broaden the scone of the lahoratorv and increased the awareness of the faEu~tyin this import& area of industrial chemistrv. I t was-helpful to offer the "Computers and Interfacing" module as the first unit of the semester. Students learned how to acquire largely analog data from several of the instruments that they would use in later modules. This included carrying out simple signal processing procedures such as event timing, subtraction or normalization of spectra and data file manipulation. This allowed them to carry out more sophisticated experiments later on. A text was made available for nurchase with each module. However, because of the tremendous expense of these specialized hooks. an extensive reserve reading list was comniled. In addition, several of the American Chemical Society audiotapes (in electrochemistry, separations, radiochemistry) wcrc valuable supplements. We have found this format to he particularly useful in our curriculum and feel that it might meet the needs of other departments. ~
occasional participation. To remedy these deficiencies,we reorganized the course into six one-unit modules with topical coverage outlined in Table 1. Four of the topics are offered each spring semester. The other two modules are offered in alternate years in rotation, or occasionally in the fall semester, depending upon demand. Each unit lasts 3.5-4.0 weeks. A minimum of two laboratory reports and one final examination are required in each module. The examination is offered one week following the end of the unit. Lectures are scheduled in late afternoon, usually from 4-6 pm. Since limited instrumentation precludes all students attending one lahoratory period, students complete their experiments at convenient times when supervision by Description of the Modules for Instrumental Analysis Chemistrv 411 Chemistry 41 1A
Chemistry 41 18 Chemistry 41 1C
Chemistry 411D
Chemishv 41 1E
Chemistry 411F
Optical Spectroscopy Uitravioiet/visible, infrared, atomic absorption. flame emission, fluor&cence Magnetic Resonance Nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance Separations High performance liquid chromatography. gas chromatography, mass spectrometry (including GC/ MS) Electrochemistry Potentiometry, polarography (DC, pulse. derivative pulse, AC), chronopotentiometry. chronoamperometry, coulometry. cyclic voltammetry Radiocbemislrv Synthesis of labeled compounds, isotope dilution techniques. radiotracer methodology. neutron activation analysis, liquid scintillation counting, gamma ray spectroscopy, radiation chemistry, hot atom chemistry Computers and Interfacing Digital Equipment Corporation MINC-11 system. BASIC language (introductory cwnputw science course recommended prerequisite), analogldigital interfacing (~~1vi;ible.IR. GC. MS. electrochemistry, radiochemistryapplications)
Volume 59
Number 3 March 1982
~
203
