Liquid chromatography separates mixtures of compounds in solution and yields a quantitative analysis of each component. Mass spectroscopy breaks apart a molecule by electron impact and analyzes the fragmentation pattern to determine the molecular weight and identification of the molecule. Inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy detects ions sequentially in a mixture as the atoms emit energy in an argon plasma. Ultraviolet spectroscopy provides information about molecular structure by analyzing the interaction of UV radiation with electronic transitions. Electrochemical experiments observe properties of ions and molecules as they interact with electrons at an electrode surface.
Students have complete access to all instruments for their research projects and course work.
Students may work in small groups where cooperation and team learning is emphasized. Faculty and students do research in the same laboratories. Undergraduate education is our primary mission. A student who majors in chemistry at Canisius College, if he or she works hard and fulfills all the requirements, can expect to achieve success as have the hundreds of other graduates who have completed the program before them. Canisius has been ranked 4th among liberal arts colleges in the number of graduates who attain Ph.D. degrees in chemistry.