Detection of pigments in oils with a low-cost spectrophotometer: Proposal for a project for the introduction to spectrometry

Toque-Huaman E.; Gonzales-Balladares J.D. · Educacion Quimica (2024) · DOI: 10.22201/fq.18708404e.2024.4.87493

Resumen

To teach university students the basic concepts of spectrometry in a practical way, three activities are proposed to follow up an interdisciplinary project using project-based learning as an educational methodology due to the high cost of laboratory spectrophotometers. With this objective, the renowned CD-spectrophotometer is used to visualize the absorption spectra and identify the chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments in three commercial oils, Plukenetia volubilis (sacha inchi), olive, and soybean. Subsequently, the relationship between the absorbances of different concentrations of astaxanthin in sacha inchi oil was evaluated using the Beer-Lambert law. Finally evaluate the students’ satisfaction to this interdisciplinary project proposal with this methodology.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas; Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología