JCE Online Journal of Chemical EducationDivision of Chemical Education, American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical Society
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print

JCE Digital Library

JCE Software

Only@JCE Online

About JCE


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2006  > August  >
In the Laboratory
Identification of Glue Vapors Using Electron Impact and Chemical Ionization Modes in GC–MS
Jeremy Richer, John Spencer, and Michael Baird
Department of Chemistry, Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV 26003
Cover
August 2006
Vol. 83 No. 8
p. 1196

Abstract
The analysis of the vapors from six commercial glues provided an interesting and challenging lab assignment for students in an instrumental analysis laboratory course. Students used both electron impact (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) modes of operation in GC–MS to identify the volatile components in their assigned glue. Chemical ionization using methane as the reagent gas provided a complementary analysis to the more common EI mode of operation. In the softer CI mode, there is a higher probability of observing the molecular ion. Students were required to explain the observation of specific mass fragments observed from both EI and CI operations in terms of their reactions in the ion source of the mass spectrometer. This interpretation of mass spectra provided the students an educational exercise for understanding the ionization processes that occur in mass spectroscopy.
Supplement
Instructions for the students, notes for the instructor, and data from the experiment are available.
*  Contents JCE2006p1196W.doc (Microsoft Word)
*  Download
JCE2006p1196W.pdf

JCE2006p1196W.zip

More Information
*  Citation
Richer, Jeremy; Spencer, John; Baird, Michael J. Chem. Educ. 2006 83 1196.
*  Keywords
Analytical Chemistry; Consumer Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Gas Chromatography; Gases; Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives; Instrumental Methods; Laboratory Instruction; Mass Spectrometry; Upper-Division Undergraduate
*  History
Created:
Last Updated:
6/21/2006
6/30/2006
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2006  > August  > Page 1196


Subscriptions

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.


Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.