As we celebrate Earth Week 2023, ACS Publications invites you to explore various resources on chemistry, algae, and the natural world across our portfolio of journals.
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week is an annual event that coincides with Earth Day and celebrates the importance and positive impact of chemistry on our planet. This year, it is held from April 16-22 with a topical focus on “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae.”
In celebration of this event, ACS Publications invites you to explore various resources on chemistry, algae, and the natural world across our portfolio of journals. From educational tools to cutting-edge articles and Virtual Issues, we hope you enjoy learning about the fascinating properties of algae and its benefits for our environment and long-term sustainability.
"Chemists Celebrate Earth Week: The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae" - A Virtual Issue
Algae are emerging as one of the most promising long-term, sustainable sources of food, biofuels, bioplastics, and other co-products. What makes them so attractive are the large number and wide variety of benefits associated with how and where they grow. Nearly all these benefits stem from the fact that algae have evolved over billions of years to produce and store energy, and they do this more efficiently than any other known natural or engineered process.
This Virtual Issue brings together recent articles from ACS journals highlighting discoveries, advances, and novel applications of algae across diverse fields and industries.
Educational Resources and Tools from the Journal of Chemical Education
To help celebrate Earth Week 2023, the Journal of Chemical Education offers a wealth of resources for exploring algae and its applications in both chemistry and nature. Through the articles and experiments listed below, students can examine the properties and uses of algae, including investigating algal biodiesel and experimenting with alginate biopolymers. With 100 volumes of interesting material on a wide variety of topics, it is easy to connect the classroom experience to the greater world through the Journal of Chemical Education.
Expand each section below to access resources from the journal and learn all about the fascinating world of algae!
Colorful Diversity─Modified Methods for Extraction and Quantification of Photopigments and Phycobiliproteins Isolated from Phototrophic Micro- and Macroalgae
Lena Geuer, Niklas Erdmann, Monika Lorenz, Hannah Albrecht, Tom Schanne, Marcel Cwienczek, Doris Geib, Dorina Strieth, and Roland Ulber
Journal of Chemical Education 2023, 100 (2), 852-860
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00899
Integrating Biology into the General Chemistry Laboratory: Fluorometric Analysis of Chlorophyll a
Meredith C. Wesolowski
Journal of Chemical Education 2014, 91 (8), 1224-1227
DOI: 10.1021/ed200845z
Revisiting History: Encountering Iodine Then and Now. A General Chemistry Laboratory To Observe Iodine from Seaweed
M. Farooq Wahab
Journal of Chemical Education 2009, 86 (2), 206
DOI: 10.1021/ed086p206
Zinc Biosorption by Seaweed Illustrated by the Zincon Colorimetric Method and the Langmuir Isotherm
Maria Mar Areco, Maria dos Santos Afonso, and Erika Valdman
Journal of Chemical Education 2007, 84 (2), 302
DOI: 10.1021/ed084p302
Structural Studies of Phycobiliproteins from Spirulina: Combining Spectroscopy, Thermodynamics, and Molecular Modeling in an Undergraduate Biochemistry Experiment
Ann T. S. Taylor and Scott E. Feller
Journal of Chemical Education 2002, 79 (12), 1467
DOI: 10.1021/ed079p1467
A Simple Protein Purification and Folding Experiment for General Chemistry Laboratory
Robert Bowen, Richard Hartung, and Yvonne M. Gindt
Journal of Chemical Education 2000, 77 (11), 1456
DOI: 10.1021/ed077p1456
Seaweed Extracts: A Unique Ocean Resource
Clair G. Wood
Journal of Chemical Education 1974, 51 (7), 449
DOI: 10.1021/ed051p449
Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Biodiesel Derived from Microalgae
Zeeshan Habeeb, Rubina Lewis, Shuangyuan Michael Liu, and R. Scott Prosser
Journal of Chemical Education 2020, 97 (10), 3791-3796
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00746
Systems Thinking in Science Education and Outreach toward a Sustainable Future
Jillian L. Blatti, John Garcia, Danyal Cave, Felix Monge, Anthony Cuccinello, Jennifer Portillo, Betsy Juarez, Ellen Chan, and Frieda Schwebel
Journal of Chemical Education 2019, 96 (12), 2852-2862
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00318
Biodiesel and Integrated STEM: Vertical Alignment of High School Biology/Biochemistry and Chemistry
Andrea C. Burrows, Jonathan M. Breiner, Jennifer Keiner, and Chris Behm
Journal of Chemical Education 2014, 91 (9), 1379-1389
DOI: 10.1021/ed500029t
Releasing Stored Solar Energy within Pond Scum: Biodiesel from Algal Lipids
Jillian L. Blatti and Michael D. Burkart
Journal of Chemical Education 2012, 89 (2), 239-242
DOI: 10.1021/ed200098c
A Color-Changeable “Pearl” for Visually Displaying Chemical Complexation Reactions
Tianli Han, Shanshan Yang, Liying Zhu, Xirong Lin, and Jinyun Liu
Journal of Chemical Education Article 2023, 100 (2), 707–713
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c01008
Multivariate Polymer Laboratory on Synthesis of Alginate Hydrogel Beads and Analysis of Dye Loading and Release
Maksim Dolmat, Claire Thomas, Veronika Kozlovskaya, and Eugenia Kharlampieva
Journal of Chemical Education 2022, 99 (9), 3289-3297
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00649
Colorimetric Hydrogel from Natural Indicators: A Tool for Electrochemistry Education
Anna Fogde, Berit Kurtén, Thomas Sandberg, and Tan-Phat Huynh
Journal of Chemical Education 2020, 97 (10), 3702-3706
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00440
Preparing "Chameleon Balls" from Natural Plants: Simple Handmade pH Indicator and Teaching Material for Chemical Equilibrium
Naoki Kanda, Takayuki Asano, Toshiyuki Itoh, and Makoto Onoda
Journal of Chemical Education 1995, 72 (12), 1131
DOI: 10.1021/ed072p1131
Thirst for a Solution: Alginate Biopolymer Experiments for the Middle and High School Classroom
Emma R. Corcoran, Cassandra Lydon, Mollie C. Enright, Jeffrey Paz Buenaflor, Kate Anderson, and Jane E. Wissinger
Journal of Chemical Education 2022, 99 (2), 1021-1025
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00905
Tough Hybrid Hydrogels Adapted to the Undergraduate Laboratory
Sofie Houben, Greg Quintens, and Louis M. Pitet
Journal of Chemical Education 2020, 97 (7), 2006-2013
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00190
Polymers, Giant Molecules with Properties: An Entertaining Activity Introducing Polymers to Young Students
Nejla B. Erdal, Minna Hakkarainen, and Anders G. Blomqvist
Journal of Chemical Education 2019, 96 (8), 1691-1695
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00918
Bioplastics in the General Chemistry Laboratory: Building a Semester-Long Research Experience
Alexandra M. Ward and Graeme R. A. Wyllie
Journal of Chemical Education 2019, 96 (4), 668-676
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00666
Using Greener Gels To Explore Rheology
Brendan Garrett, Avtar S. Matharu, and Glenn A. Hurst
Journal of Chemical Education 2017, 94 (4), 500-504
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00584
Demonstration of the Coagulation and Diffusion of Homemade Slime Prepared Under Acidic Conditions without Borate
Naho Isokawa, Kazuki Fueda, Korin Miyagawa, and Kenichi Kanno
Journal of Chemical Education 2015, 92 (11), 1886-1888
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00272
Novel Model-Based Inquiry of Ionic Bonding in Alginate Hydrogels Used in Tissue Engineering for High School Students
Robby D. Bowles, James M. Saroka, Shivaun D. Archer, and Lawrence J. Bonassar
Journal of Chemical Education 2012, 89 (10), 1308-1311
DOI: 10.1021/ed200651f
Self-Assembly and Nanotechnology: Real-Time, Hands-On, and Safe Experiments for K-12 Students
Hitesh G. Bagaria, Michelle R. Dean, Carolyn A. Nichol, and Michael S. Wong
Journal of Chemical Education 2011, 88 (5), 609-614
DOI: 10.1021/ed100598y
A Diaper a Day and What's Going on with Gaviscon?: Two Lab Activities Focusing on Chemical Bonding Concepts
Brett Criswell
Journal of Chemical Education 2006, 83 (4), 574
DOI: 10.1021/ed083p574
Demonstrating Encapsulation and Release: A New Take on Alginate Complexation and the Nylon Rope Trick
Andrienne C. Friedli, Inge R. Schlager, and Stephen W. Wright
Journal of Chemical Education 2005, 82 (7), 1017
DOI: 10.1021/ed082p1017
The Alginate Demonstration: Polymers, Food Science, and Ion Exchange
Louis H. Pignolet, Amy Sue Waldman, Linda Schechinger, Geeta Govindarajoo, James S. Nowick, and Ted Labuza
Journal of Chemical Education 1998, 75 (11), 1430
DOI: 10.1021/ed075p1430
Beyond the world of algae, check out a selection of recently published Virtual and Special Issues featuring discoveries and applications in sustainable chemistry—and submit your own research to one of our upcoming Virtual Issues!
Recently Published Virtual and Special Issues
2022 Rising Stars in Environmental Research
ACS Environmental Au recognizes early career researchers at the forefront of developing impactful research in the global environmental arena.
Sustainable Organometallic Chemistry
This Special Issue in Organometallics focuses on various approaches to replace nonsustainable chemical reagents with more sustainable alternatives.
Call for Papers: Virtual and Special Issues
Accelerating Environmental Research to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals
Environmental Science & Technology and Environmental Science & Technology Letters seek submissions to a joint Special Issue centered around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
