WCS Chemistry Research 2018-2019

What is cannabidiol (formula, elements)? C 21 H 30 O 2 Cannabidiol is a chemical derived from the cannabis plant. It doesn’t have any psychoactive properties (so it won’t get you high). Companies are interested in it because it has analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory, and many other properties that could potentially make it useful in medicine. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/cannabidiol#section=Top Are there any other components of marijuana that need to be considered as well? Or is cannabidiol the main component that contributes to the drug’s effects? CBD is actually not associated with any of marijuana’s psychoactive properties. The compound that is responsible for getting you high is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which works by binding with the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Though only THC is useful for recreational purposes, both compounds have similar medicinal uses. https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc#further-clarification Wha...

1. Why were the biogas methane levels too high?   The biogas methane levels would have been too high because of methane’s high content within biogas (approximately 50-70%), and the alkane’s unique bacterium called methanogens. This bacterium is a type microorganism that produces methane as a metabolic byproduct in anoxic (extreme hypoxia, total depletion of oxygen) conditions. Methanogens are found in the digestive tracts of animals, and in the study conducted by the University Negeri Surabaya in Surabaya, Indonesia, the use of cow dung as an organic waste provided high levels of methane. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:604559/FULLTEXT02.pdf 2. If biogas was being tested why were methane levels in the atmosphere relevant?              Rob Jackson, a scientist at Stanford University conducted a study that measured levels of methane gas within the environment. He said that these levels have spiked since 2007 (the...

1. What exactly is radiocarbon dating and why is it the most accurate method? Radiocarbon dating provides an age estimate for a carbon-based material that originated from a living organism. It measures how much carbon-14 (radiocarbon, a weak radioactive isotope of carbon) is present in the sample, and measures this against an internationally used reference standard. The Accelerator Mass Spectrometer is used. https://www.radiocarbon.com/about-carbon-dating.htm 2.         How do we know that the materials found on the mummy assumed to be for embalming didn't serve another purpose? The materials found on the mummy were chemicals commonly used in the embalming and preservation process of a mummy. Such chemicals used in the embalming process were known - a mixture of plant extracts, oils, and resins. 3 .       Were they able to specify any of the plant/animal oils? Such resins used include plant oil, sesame oil, and phenolic acids, which w...

Ellutia: Cannabis sector knows it needs to test but does not know where to start             Marijuana usage has skyrocketed in many parts of the United States following the legalization of the drug in several states. However, as the marijuana market increases, scientists must continue to monitor several components of the drug, finding the gas chromatograph to be especially helpful. Ellutia Chromatography is one of the world’s leading gas chromatograph suppliers. This year, Ellutia became one of the first companies to test using a gas chromatograph to monitor the quality of marijuana, seeking to make the use of the GC universal in the industry. Members of the cannabis industry specifically have tested the Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol hydrocarbons to analyze fragrance and flavor. However, the GC has been able to examine even more factors to ensure that marijuana is safe for consumers, including conducting potency tests and determining if certa...

Martian Conundrum Solved: Viking Lander Data Reexamined for Organics             In 1976, NASA sent two Viking landers to Mars.   They purpose of sending them was to see if life was sustainable on the planet by searching the soil for organic compounds.   These Viking landers used GC/MS instruments to examine the soil.   When scientists were examining the data from the GC/MS, they didn’t find any organics from the Martial soil itself; all that they found was chlorobenzene and dichloromethane which was attributed to terrestrial contamination from cleaning fluids.   This came as a huge surprise to scientists because they completely expected to find organic matter.   Organic compounds should have rained down into mars on meteorites and comets, so it didn’t make sense as to why none were found.               In 2008, NASA sent a Phoenix lander. ...

Title: Forensic Application of Gas Chromatography-Differential Mobility Spectrometry with Two-Way Classification of Ignitable Liquids from Fire Debris         In this article, Yao Lu and Peter B. Harrington explore alternate methods to solve cases of arson. The key part of their study was to find cheaper and more accurate detection methods for ignitable liquids. The second leading cause of deaths and injuries and the leading cause of fires is arson. Throughout the article, Lu and Harrington use gas chromatography along with other methods to find a solution.             One of the main problems in detecting ignitable chemicals is the fact that chemicals can evaporate, and additional pyrolysis products can be produced that can alter the composition of the chemicals. This results in Lu and Harrington designing a new type of GC-DMS (Gas Chromatograph – Differential mobility Spectrum) that will use a comp...