Consumer Chemistry

NASC 121-001
Spring 2014
Instructor: Prof. Ryan Bouldin, PhD

Office Phone: 781.891.2638

Office: Jennison Hall127A

E-mail: rbouldin@bentley.edu

Class Meetings: Mondays

Wednesdays

11:20 AM 12:45PM

Jennison 200

9:55 AM 12:45PM

Jennison 200 & 122 (Chem. Lab)

Office Hours:
Course Description: The course is designed to raise the awareness of the products we buy through
learning some of the fundamental science behind them. The class has both a lecture and a fun lab
component, so you can learn about chemistry in the classroom and then apply it directly in the lab. The
first third of the course is designed to help students describe and understand broad fundamental properties
of materials and products. We will start at the molecular level by describing atoms and molecules and
how their behavior ultimately explains the physical properties of individual materials (state, color,
density, elasticity). We will explore how and why materials interact and how this impacts consumer
products. Finally, we will explore the hidden dangers of products and how we can take a more
progressive approach to protecting ourselves, our families, and our environment from toxic chemicals.
The course is divided into three sections that strive to answer the guiding questions:
1) How do you know what stuff is?
2) Once you can identify and describe a material, how do you know how it works?
3) How do you know if a material or product is safe?
Course Goals: By the end of the course, students should be able to explain how and why materials
interact and why a particular material is used in a given consumer product. They should also have a
heightened sense of awareness about the safety of their consumer products and how they can make
changes to protect their communities from toxic chemicals.
Student Learning Objectives:
At the end of the course, a student should be able to:
Knowledge:
1) Identify chemicals found in their consumer products as elements, compounds, or mixtures.
2) Identify key functional groups for common molecules found in consumer products.
3) Explain why the chemical structure can be used to explain material behavior.

4) Develop a heightened sense of awareness about the safety of consumer products.

5) Identify classes of chemicals that pose potential hazards.
6) Make changes to protect their communities from toxic chemicals.
Skills:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Work safely and carefully in a chemistry lab.

Set up a single experiment and conduct basic synthesis.
Analyze and plot data from series of experiments to identify trends.
Conduct scientific literary research, including identifying relevant primary sourced literature.

Textbook & assigned reading:

We do not have an assigned textbook for the course. However, it is useful to have a good general
chemistry text around for reference. Our library has a few copies of text with an environmental focus that
should cover the basic topic you will need to know for this course. I also have plenty of copies of books
that I can lend you.
Please check Blackboard Course Documents for additional reading assignments listed on the course
schedule and assigned in class.
You are expected to read the assigned articles prior to the class meetings. I dont lecture directly from the
text, but I do ask exam questions from it. I strive to give you a few points of reference for each topic, ex:
reading, lecture, and my office hours.
Grading & Assignments:
All assignments with physical deliverables, i.e. items to turn in, are due at the beginning of class on their
due date. Work that has been turned in at the end of class or later in the day will be considered late. Late
work is penalized at a rate of 10 % per day, this includes weekends. If you have an assignment due on a
Friday and you turn it in on the following Monday, the best grade you can receive is a 70%. All late work
must be scanned and emailed to me.
Presentations must be made on their due date. They cannot be made up at a later date. No exceptions will
be made to this rule.
Final grades will be calculated as follows:
Final Exam
2 Take Home Exams
3 critical response
essays

20 %
15 % each = 30%
5% each = 15%

Community Presentation
2 in class presentations
Commitment to Community
Learning

15 %
5 % each = 10%
10%

FinalgradesandgradingthroughoutthesemesterwillconformtothesystemoutlinedintheBentley
StudentHandbook(http://www.bentley.edu/offices/registrar/gradingpolicy).Gradesarenoncompetitive
(i.e.thereisnocurve,wherethehighestscoreissetasthetopofthegradingscale).

Participation: You are expected to be an active participate in course discussions. In fact, 10% of your
final grade depends on what I call your commitment to community learning. In reality, this is just a
fancy way of saying class participation, but I challenge you to think about how you are affected by those
sitting around you in class. I hope that you will strive to make your commitment a positive one that
enhances the learning environment for all, including myself.
I understand that there will be times when you dont feel like you have anything to offer or say; thats
cool. However, when you do have even the slightest bit of confusion, I challenge you to at least ask
questions. This is especially true when I say things that dont make sense to you.
Class Attendance: I expect you to attend every class and lab. If you miss a class, I will not repeat a
lecture for you. Labs cannot be made up. You are responsible for the material covered during any missed
classes and labs. If you know you have a conflict, please let me know well in advance, so we can make an
alternative arrangement.
Cell Phones & Laptops: Cell phone and laptops are not allowed in class, unless we have specific
assignment or activity that requires them. When these activities do occur, I will ask you to bring one in
advance.
Food and Drink: You are more than welcome to bring drinks and light snacks to the classroom. Do not
bring in a full meal; this would be very distracting to me and your fellow colleagues. No food or drinks
will be allowed in the lab.
Statement about Academic Integrity: This class will be conducted in full accordance with Bentleys
policies about academic integrity and the Bentley Honor Code. These can be found in the student
handbook, p. 62:
http://www.bentley.edu/files/student-handbook-2012-2013_3.pdf
Plagiarism and cheating in any form will not be tolerated in this class and will result in failure of the
assignment on the first offense and failure of the class on the second offense. All cases will be referred to
the Bentley Academic Integrity Coordinator for follow-up action. Plagiarism includes failure to properly
cite sources and failure to acknowledge the ideas, words, data, images, etc., produced by others.
Plagiarism also includes copying homework, writing assignments, and exam answers from another
student; the work that you submit is expected to be your own. Group projects must represent the unique
work of the group members, with all outside sources appropriately cited. If you have any questions about
acceptable practices, please visit www.plagiarism.org, or see me for clarification.
The Bentley Beliefs: This class will be conducted in full accordance with The Bentley Beliefs. Please
reread the Beliefs, which can be found on Page 1 of the Student Handbook:
http://www.bentley.edu/files/student-handbook-2012-2013_3.pdf
Disability services: If you have a hidden or visible disability which may require classroom or exam
accommodations, please see me as soon as possible. If you have not already done so, please register with
Stephanie Brodeur, Coordinator of Disability Services in LaCava 166, who is responsible for coordinating
accommodations and services for students with disabilities. I will make every effort to accommodate

students with documented learning disabilities, as long as you inform me of your needs ahead of time.
For further information on documenting a learning disability, please go to http://campuslife.bentley.edu/student-services/disability-services .
Writing Center: You are strongly encouraged to visit the writing center prior to turning in all of your
critical response essays and test.
The Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring to students of all years and skill levels. Located in the
lower level of the Bentley library (room 023), the Writing Center provides a welcoming and supportive
environment in which students can work on writing from any class or discipline. Writers are encouraged
to visit at all stages of the writing process; they can come with a draft, an outline, or just some initial
thoughts and questions.
Staffed by highly skilled student tutors, the Writing Center is open six days a week. Drop-ins are
welcome, but appointments are encouraged and can be made online at bapps.bentley.edu or by phone at
781.891.3173. For hours and additional information, visit our website at bentley.edu/writing-center.
Other Course Policies:
Course lectures or labs cannot be recorded without my permission.
Lab Safety: We will go through lab safety in detail, but the following are essential requirements for lab
participation. If these requirements are not met you will be asked to leave the lab.
a.
b.
c.
d.

NO OPEN-TOED SHOES.
NO SHORTS (you must wear long pants in the laboratory).
ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES.
AbsolutelyNOfoodordrinkinlab.

Class Schedule: - Date and topics may shift, but Ill always give you advance notice.
SECTION 1: HOW DO I KNOW WHAT STUFF IS?
Date
1/22 Wed.

Topic
Introductions, Expectations, Syllabus, Chemistry Basics
Reading:
Lab: Safety Sheets, Intro to Lab Work

1/25 Saturday

Electronic Structure Elements, Atoms, and Compounds continued

Reading: Intro to Chem. & Atoms and Elements

1/27 Monday

Stitching Chemicals Together Bonding

Reading: Chemical Bonding

1/29 Wed.

Understanding Consumer Product Labels Naming Functional Groups

Reading: Focus on naming conventions
Lab: Manipulation of Molecules Modeling Kits

2/3 Mon.

Intermolecular Forces: Stickiness of Molecules Formulation Chemistry

Reading: BLACKBOARD Intermolecular Forces Silberberg 4th ed.

2/5 Wed

Intermolecular Forces: Stickiness of Molecules Formulation Chemistry continued

Reading: BLACKBOARD Intermolecular Forces Silberberg 4th ed.

Assignment: Product Presentation #1

LAB: Density Analysis of Sugar in Beverages

2/10 Mon.

Intermolecular Forces Modeling Shapes and Dipoles

Reading:

2/12 Wed.

Specific Heat & Entropy

Reading: Blackboard Specific Heat & Entropy Notes
LAB: Consumer Product Presentations Labeling, Regulations, & Greenwashing

SECTION 2: HOW DOES STUFF WORK?

2/17 Mon

Specific Heat & Entropy - Continued

Reading: Blackboard Specific Heat & Entropy Notes

EXAM I TAKE HOME Due in one week

2/19 Wed.

Introduction to Materials Chemistry- Types, Properties, and Metrics

Reading: Blackboard Material Sci. & Eng. - Callister & Rethwisch
LAB: Fluorescence quenching lab optical brighteners in detergent

2/24 Mon

Material Properties Stress vs Strain Curves

Reading: Blackboard Material Sci. & Eng. - Callister & Rethwisch

2/26 Wed.

Monomer to Polymer Creation of Plastic

Reading: Blackboard - - Plastics - SustMatWOpenEyes
LAB: Synthesis of Nylon & Crosslinked Hydrogel Polymers

3/3 Mon.

Recyclable & Biodegradable Polymers

Reading: Blackboard - - Biodegradable Polymers for the Environment - Science 2002

3/5 Wed.

Challenges for Renewable Materials Moving To a Biobased Economy

Reading: Blackboard: Bio-based chemicals- When green is toxic- OP-ED Mike Belliveau
LAB: Green Polymer Synthesis Lab Advanced Materials

Assignment: Critical Response to Next Industrial Revolution due Monday following Spring Break

3/10 Mon

No Class Spring Break

3/12 Wed.

No Class Spring Break

3/17 Mon.

The Next Industrial Revolution: Introduction to Cradle to Cradle Design

Reading: On Blackboard: The Next Industrial Revolution

Assignment: Exam II Due in one week

SECTION 3: HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMETHING IS SAFE?

3/19 Wed.

Soap and Emulsifiers

Reading:
1) Blackboard: Spread Of Ecolabels Vexes Cleaning Product Makers
LAB: Make Soap

3/24 Mon.

Poster Project Description and Examples

3/26 Wed.

Sunscreens & Dyes

LAB: Food Dye Separation - Chromatograph

3/31 Mon

How We Regulate Chemicals in the USA: (Subject to Change)

Skype with Keith Salazar Immunotoxicologist at EPA IRIS Toxics Review Program
Reading: Blackboard - Body of Evidence: Body Burden Study in Maine

Assignment: 2 page critical response to Body Burden reading due next class
See handout on how to write a critical response on Blackboard

4/2 Wed.

Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

Reading: Body Burden Study on Blackboard
LAB: Making Cold Cream

4/7 Mon.

Toxicity & Endocrine Disruption from Consumer Products

Readings:
1) Designing Endocrine Disruptions Out of the Next Generation of Chemicals
skip Section 3: Tiered Protocol for Endocrine Disruption
2) Girl, Disrupted: Hormone Disruptions and Womens Reproductive Health

4/9 Wed.

Community Poster Project

4/14 Mon

Movie: Toxic Hot Seat Discussion

Assignment: 2 pg critical response to Article Series and FR in Couches article due next class

4/16 Wed.

Flame Retardants How they work and Are they needed?

Readings:
1) Chicago Tribute Investigative Series
2) Novel and High Volume Use Flame Retardants in US Couches Reflective of the 2005
PentaBDE Phase
LAB: Enzymatic Synthesis of non-halogenated Flame Retardants

Assignment: Group Presentation next week on how to New Ideas to Raise Consumer Awareness

4/21 Mon.

Patriots Day No Class

4/23 Wed.

Raising Consumer Awareness Presentations

4/28 Mon

Course Summary

Assignment: Final Problem Set Handed Out

4/30 Wed.

Final Exam Block 11:00 AM 1:00 PM