Nanoparticle Synthesis, Characterization, and Ecotoxicity: A Research-Based Set of Laboratory Experiments for a General Chemistry Course

Abstract

A series of laboratory experiments were developed to introduce first-year chemistry students to nanoscience through a green chemistry approach. Students made and characterized the stability of silver nanoparticles using two different methods: UV-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. They then assessed the ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles in Escherichia coli sublethal growth curve assays. Bacterial growth was monitored via optical density and carbon dioxide measurements. Finally, students designed and implemented their own nanomaterial characterization and ecotoxicity experiments based upon the insights gained in previous tests. The experiments translated current research in sustainable nanomaterials to an undergraduate population while introducing them to research methodology and experiences early in their undergraduate career. Moreover, the experiments emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of the sciences to provide real-world applications and connect concepts learned within general chemistry lecture and lab to other classes commonly taken by first-year STEM students, including biology, materials science, and environmental sciences.