Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

We are using Cinnamaldehyde as part of our science fair project to see if it kills any mouth bacteria. We know that the right amount to use is 9 ppm, but what exactly is ppm and how do we make 9 ppm into a solution?

Hi Nadia,

ppm stands for parts per million. I'm including a link on making solutions in ppm. That is a VERY small amount, so you'll probably need to do something called serial dilutions, where you first dilute to a more concentrated solution and then dilute again to 9 ppm. I'm not sure what form you have your cinnamaldehyde in, but if you still run into trouble after reading this link, post again in this thread with more information and we can help you with the calculations.

http://delloyd.50megs.com/ppm.html

I hope this helps!
JMP