Dr. Seid Adem is developing an Analytical Chemistry lab entitled “Determination of Fluoride Ion in Toothpaste Using an Ion Selective Electrode” which will require the purchase of six fluoride ion selective electrodes. The amount of fluoride ions found in drinking water and toothpaste is determined by fluoride ion selective electrodes. City municipalities intentionally add a controlled amount of fluoride ion to promote tooth growth. However, this ion may enter the public water system from natural resources in a number of ways. As a result, it is one of drinking water contaminants regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Ion selective electrodes work based on the principles of potentiometry, a standard technique involving measurement of voltage to determine the concentration of ion of interest in a given sample. The use of ion-selective electrodes is an important technique for modern chemists due to an increased use of this equipment for analysis and for process and control measurements. The educational objectives of including this fluoride selective electrode in the chemistry curriculum are to introduce students to the practical aspects of ion-selective electrodes, to provide a direct application of ion-selective electrodes for the analysis of low levels of fluoride in complex industrial and naturally occurring materials, and to provide a practical laboratory analysis of fluoride in a familiar consumer product such as toothpaste and tap water.
Giving a gift to the chemistry department will help purchase these electrodes to be used in our Analytical Chemistry Lab and Instrumental Analysis labs and will benefit dozens of Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry and Biochemistry students for years to come. Thank you for your consideration!
