A Study of Quantitative Analysis of Fluorescent Materials with a Handmade Device and Its Application to School Teaching : Riboflavin Analysis in Vitamin Tablets

Abstract

Chemical quantitative analysis is becoming an important learning method in science and environmental education. Complex analytical equipment, however, is difficult to utilize because of school budgetary constraints. Due to this, several handmade analytical devices have been developed for learning by many teachers. I have also invented a handmade fluorometer which is made of inexpensive materials. The light source is a LED (395nm or 430nm). The detector is a solar battery, which is very popular, even for children. Subsequently, I introduced this new device in a practical science class in an upper secondary school. The students were asked to measure the content of Riboflavin, which is an important nutritive known as Vitamin B2, in a Vitamin tablet. The average content of Riboflavin measured by students was 14 mg per tablet. This is the same as the figure written on the package of the Vitamin tablets. The effectiveness of this new device was also investigated by analysis of questionnaires answered by students. The questionnaire focused on the following information: (1) the morale of students; (2) the understanding of the analytical method by students; and (3) the operational simplicity of this device. Most of the students gave positive answers in the questionnaire.