Nitrate Determination
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:32 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: In lettuce contaminated with perchlorate, is there an accumulation of the toxin within the lettuce?
- Project Due Date: February 27
- Project Status: I am just starting
Nitrate Determination
Is it possible to determine nitrate in foods (lettuce) using IC-MS-MS?
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- Former Expert
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Re: Nitrate Determination
I believe it would be possible, though I'll defer to the chemists as to whether it is practical. Simpler approaches might suffice, or be better. Aren't you working with a chemist with access to the IC/MS/MS? Have you talked with that person about this question?
Also, can you fill us in a little more about how this question relates to your project that you described earlier?
http://www.sciencebuddies.com/science-f ... =28&t=3583
Thanks,
Chris
Also, can you fill us in a little more about how this question relates to your project that you described earlier?
http://www.sciencebuddies.com/science-f ... =28&t=3583
Thanks,
Chris
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:32 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: In lettuce contaminated with perchlorate, is there an accumulation of the toxin within the lettuce?
- Project Due Date: February 27
- Project Status: I am just starting
Re: Nitrate Determination
I was curious to check the lettuce samples for nitrate as well as perchlorate. It is said that leafy vegetables build up nitrate in green houses. In California, how is it that fresh letttuce is still available during the winter. Is it because of green houses? Would anyone know of groceries that would have green house lettuce in northern California?
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- Former Expert
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Re: Nitrate Determination
I have never noticed any green house grown lettuce in the stores, and I doubt there is much large scale farming of lettuce in greenhouses in California. It grows just fine outdoors. I usually have some my garden at this time of the year. If you want to know more about these sorts of agricultural questions, I'd recommend contacting an extension specialist at the University of California. http://ucanr.org/findinformation.cfm
Nitrate also accumulates in lettuce growing in fields, so you should also be able to get some measurements from field grown plants.
Nitrate also accumulates in lettuce growing in fields, so you should also be able to get some measurements from field grown plants.
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:32 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: In lettuce contaminated with perchlorate, is there an accumulation of the toxin within the lettuce?
- Project Due Date: February 27
- Project Status: I am just starting
Re: Nitrate Determination
Will I lose a lot of nitrate if I boil down the lettuce extract? What temperature will it start to decompose?
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- Former Expert
- Posts: 1019
- Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:43 am
- Occupation: Research Hydrologist
- Project Question: n/a
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Nitrate Determination
Tim,
Why don't you run some tests to find out? Make a solution, measure the concentration, then boil it down by 50% and measure the concentration again.
How is the rest of your project going?
Chris
Why don't you run some tests to find out? Make a solution, measure the concentration, then boil it down by 50% and measure the concentration again.
How is the rest of your project going?
Chris