Resumen de Microscale gas chemistry

Bruce Mattson, Michael P. Anderson

• The development of syringes having free movement while remaining gas-tight enabled methods in chemistry to be changed. Successfully containing and measuring volumes of gas without the need to trap them using liquids made it possible to work with smaller quantities. The invention of the LuerLok syringe cap also allowed the gas to be stored for a significant time while other parts of the experiment were performed. This article describes how one university chemistry department adapted to these methods in the early stages of their development. There was a reduction in the quantities of chemicals being used, leading to lower costs and fewer problems with waste disposal. In addition, it was possible to consider the use of irritant gases because, should small quantities escape, they would quickly disperse in the atmosphere to low concentrations. These experiments are also quicker to perform and reliable, which improves student motivation. Complete instructions for the generation of gases and suitable experiments with these gases are provided on the authors' Microscale Gas Chemistry website.