Through the generous donation of an Anasazi FT-NMR spectrometer from Case Western Reserve University, initiated through one persistent chemistry professor, students taking chemistry classes at Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus next semester will have the opportunity to receive significant hands-on experience.

By RHONDA CROWDER
Staff Reporter

Through the generous donation of an Anasazi FT-NMR spectrometer from Case Western Reserve University, initiated through one persistent chemistry professor, students taking chemistry classes at Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus next semester will have the opportunity to receive significant hands-on experience.

Dr. Ormound Brathwaite, a chemistry professor at Tri-C East, had been trying to purchase this kind of tool with grant dollars for some time but had been unable to secure funding. However, because he also works as an adjunct professor at Case, he knew their NMR Facility, which houses several machines – of different magnet strengths – was not using theirs.

“They didn’t need this particular one [and] recognized that Tri-C could use it and agreed to donate it,” said Brathwaite.

Brand new, the instrument is priced at $150,000 while a used/refurbished one would cost about $125,000 – both obviously out of the college’s budget. At the same time, grants are available yet it’s a very competitive market especially when it comes to improving laboratory equipment.

In providing an understanding of the instrument in laymen’s terms, Brathwaite said it is a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NRI) – what can be considered equivalent to the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) used in medical facilities as it too uses magnetic radio frequencies.

The strength of the permanent magnet donated by Case is 90 mhz and weighs 2,200 pounds. According to Brathwaithe, the world’s most powerful instruments are 1000 mhz.

Brathwaite saw it as the missing component in learning, always wanted to provide his students with this kind of hands-on experience. Now, with it, he can integrate theory practice.

“This type of instrument is the number one organic instrument for organic chemists,” he said, explaining that the instrument is number one in chemical analysis. It determines what molecules make-up a give component by examining the atoms.

The technology has been used since 1930’s and can be utilized in all of the sciences, he said.

He’s been using the instrument, getting a feel for it, even used it to help a grade school student with a science project. “If I can get an eighth grader to sit down and run it, I’m sure I can get a college student to understand it. I’m very excited. To bring the technology to the community college student,” he said.

Few community colleges have this kind of technology, he added.

Starting next month, students taking chemistry on that campus will have the opportunity to use when doing laboratory experiments.