Acquisition of a GC/MS for Research and Teaching

Cuny City College, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). With this award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities Multiuser Program (CRIF:MU), the Chemistry Department of the City College of New York will acquire a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS). This instrument will support research in areas such as the determination of the fate of organic xenobiotics in the environment, bioorganic studies of molecular recognition during olfaction, transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, and electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. The instrument will be used in education activities in several undergraduate laboratories and in an outreach project with high school students to identify chemicals in the environment in New York City. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS) is an extremely powerful technique used for the separation and analysis of complex mixtures. Identification of the components in the mixtures is achieved and quantitative estimates of their amounts are determined. It is important for chemistry and biochemistry students to be trained in the applications of this widely applicable technique using modern instrumentation. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research at this minority serving institution.