Students at Eastern Kentucky University have strong connections to the land and are correspondingly motivated to positively impact their communities. However, like many newer learners, these students don’t yet understand how they could use chemistry in their own communities. Here we describe an ongoing collaborative project that connects students’ motivations and commitments to their communities with societally relevant solutions enabled by applied analytical chemistry. Detecting heavy-metal contaminants in water is of particular interest for our students, given the region’s mining history. Current arsenic detection techniques are not practical for continuously monitoring water sources in rural locations, so in collaboration with researchers at the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, we are designing an electrochemical cell that can be operated remotely and without calibration to detect arsenic, all without need for on-site technicians. Specifically, we are targeting electrodes that can be inkjet-printed directly onto a 3D-printed electrochemical cell, simplifying the manufacturing processes and substantially decreasing the costs of the devices. To date, student contributions to this beyond-curriculum work include one-semester mentored research experiences for undergraduates, a year-long undergraduate Honors thesis, and a multi-year Master’s thesis. Students working on this project learn electrochemical techniques including cyclic voltammetry, anodic stripping voltammetry, and anodic stripping coulometry. Through iterative modification of electrode compositions and spatial orientations, students understand the importance of sensitivity and specificity in analytical sensors. By presenting their results in departmental and university-level forums, students communicate positive impacts of science on community to their peers. Ultimately, this project is well-poised to yield motivated, responsible scientists who understand fundamental chemistry and who are equipped to use this understanding in pursuit of a more sustainable world.

Learning chemistry for the good of the local environmental: Towards an electrochemical platform for remotely operated, calibration-free arsenic detection

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ACS Spring 2023

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