Chemistry major undergraduate students at Georgia State University are introduced to independent research and critical thinking through writing skills in the CHEM 4160 laboratory course. In this lab, students will work on Essential Oils (EOs) from plant material. The oils are selected based on literature findings for their potential therapeutic effects on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The EOs will be extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques such as <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C NMR and GC-MS. The initial studies will determine the percent composition and molecular identities of components. These findings will be compared to the literature data on potential active ingredients in these oils for treatment of COVID-19. Furthermore, the experimental oils and commercial samples will be examined for their shelf-life, using GC-MS. Oils will be stored at different temperatures and analyzed at certain time intervals to measure the level of degradation of oils with time. This information will be useful to determine how therapeutic effect of oils change over time. In the end of the research work, students will publish their scientific data in a comprehensive report written per the ACS guidelines. Throughout the course of the research, students develop literature search skills, written and oral communication skills and scientific data recording skills. These skills along with the laboratory and analytical techniques learned help prepare students for their future careers in science and STEM field.

Essential oils: Potential therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2

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ACS Spring 2023

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