The FeIII-TAML (Tetra-Amido Macrocyclic Ligand) catalysis system has been successfully used for the degradation of a variety of pollutants through the activation of hydrogen peroxide. In addition to showing great promise for field applications, TAML catalysis also provides an excellent model system for undergraduate teaching labs. This study focuses on the TAML-catalyzed decay kinetics of common FD&C food dyes. The peroxide and food dyes used in this experiment can be purchased in grocery stores, and are both environmentally and budget friendly. The teaching lab experiment involves the complete determination of the rate law under various conditions, specifically those in which relatively large TAML or peroxide concentrations facilitate the determination of simple observed kinetics. Different dyes exhibit very different degradation kinetics allowing for the exploration of multiple aspects of chemical kinetics. In addition to serving as a didactic kinetics experiment, this lab also provides an excellent introduction to green chemistry principles.

Undergraduate kinetics laboratory experiment: The catalytic degradation of common food dyes using the Fe<sup>III</sup>-TAML system

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.

Undergraduate kinetics laboratory experiment: The catalytic degradation of common food dyes using the FeIII-TAML system

Undergraduate kinetics laboratory experiment: The catalytic degradation of common food dyes using the Fe^III-TAML system