Well another week down and it has been pretty interesting.  In our lab we are trying to finds ways to detect TiO2 through a colorimetric process by utilizing various chelating agents.  This process, once its successful will be used to detect any seepage of TiO2 after the filtration process.  The goal is to keep the chelate and TiO2 in a suspended form and remain as a nanoparticle in order to allow the colorimetric process to work.  This entailed measuring the nanopartilce complex through a nanosizer.  Measured all the all the different ligands (ran over 300 samples) and adjusted their pH in order to change the polaritiy of the ligand in order to prepare it for colorimetric attachment.  It has been a tedious process, however, the unknown is what keeps it exciting.  Lets see what happens this upcoming week.

I have made some great progress with the lesson.  Will use the chelating proprieties found in plants to demonstrate the chelation process that is occurring in the lab.  I am developing a lab activity protocol that will involve the extraction of the chelating properties in cilantro.  Then then add the extraction to a known concentration of an aqueous iron solution.  Finally, use a colorimetric process to determine the concentration of the free iron in solution.  The free iron will then be measured using a spectrometer.  As an enrichment activity students will then propose (based on research and experience) how plants may be engineered as part of the water filtration process.   Next week I will give the protocol its first run.  If all goes well (which I think it will) then I will be able to complete my lesson.

Until next time!!  Hope is everything is going well for everyone.  Enjoy your weekend!!!  Happy 4th!!