Analysis of Soft Drinks Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A Mentorship

Arkim Wilson and Craig Myers
Center for Inquiry, Corcoran High School, Syracuse, NY 13207
George Crull , Michael Curtis and Pamela Pasciak Patterson
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Thompson Road, East Syracuse, NY 13057
J. Chem. Educ., 1999, 76 (10), p 1414
DOI: 10.1021/ed076p1414
Publication Date (Web): October 1, 1999

Abstract

This mentorship was designed to expose a student to the laboratory routine for a chemist at Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS). The student visited BMS, collaborated with BMS scientists, and actually completed a project on site. He was asked to determine the identity of an unknown sample of soft drink retrieved from a fictitious crime scene using NMR spectroscopy. He designed an experiment to test the unknown sample and used samples of purified sugar, purified caffeine, purified citric acid, Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Diet 7-Up, and Sam’s Diet Cola as controls. The results were analyzed and presented in a final report. The student was able to determine if the unknown contained sugar, caffeine, Nutrasweet, or sodium benzoate. He learned how to compile relevant information, conduct an experiment, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and prepare and edit a formal report. In addition to learning the uses of NMR, he also learned some of its limitations. In the final report, he was encouraged to reflect on the difficulties a scientist might encounter when trying to identify NMR peaks without an "ingredient list" like those of the soft drink cans. The experience was rewarding for the student and all scientists involved.

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Analytical Chemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Instrumental Methods
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  • Received: August 03, 2009

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