The Case of Nut Poisoning (or Too Much of a Good Thing?): Implementation and Assessment
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Peter M. Schaber [1] ; Harvey A. Pines [1] ; Judith E. Larkin [1] ; Lori A. Shepherd [1] ; Elizabeth E. Wierchowski [1]
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[1] Canisius College
Canisius College
City of Buffalo, Estados Unidos
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- Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 88, Nº 7, 2011, págs. 1012-1013
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
A young politician becomes a vegetarian in an effort to live a healthier life style. He chooses Brazil nuts as his main type of meat supplement making the nuts a substantial part of his regular diet. A few months later, the politician begins to experience symptoms characteristic of selenium overdose. Blood work confirms elevated selenium content in his system. Small student groups, from an upper-level analytical chemistry course, play the role of “research investigators” working for a facility associated with a local hospital. They are required to apply a modified selenium-determination method from the literature based on microwave extraction and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Students are charged with determining the quantity of selenium in a sample of Brazil nuts and the quantity being ingested by the subject on a daily basis due to the nuts. A formal written report must be submitted specifying the method of analysis used and their detailed results. This case study requires students to conduct themselves in the same manner chemists would in the “real world” when faced with a new and challenging problem. Implementation and assessment results are also provided.
