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WEDNESDAY THURSDAY, JANUARY 2021, 2016 | DAILYWILDCAT.COM |
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GREENING UA CHEM LABS
THE DAILY WILDCAT WHAT’S INSIDE
The UA mourns the loss of a sister and friend, p. 2
What you need to know about this year’s Grammy nominations, p. 8
SPORTS
NICK SMALLWOOD/THE DAILY WILDCAT
STUDENT LAB WORKERS Kyle Fischer and Connor Cerato work alongside senior lab coordinators German Andrade and Vanessa Sousa in the UA Chemistry building on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
The department of chemistry is putting the “tree” in chemistry with 2013 grant that helped fund environmentally friendly labs BY SARAH ROSE VINING
p. 8 Taryn Griffey takes leave of absence from women’s basketball
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The Daily Wildcat
Beneath bright fluorescent lights, beakers clatter and sweat drips. A student hesitates before stepping over a line of yellow duct tape on the floor. Before doing so, he or she goes through a list of required items: lab coat, goggles, gloves and close-toed shoes. Check, check, check and check, the student verifies with a sigh of relief. Missing any of these items could lead to dismissal from the
lab. Organic chemistry labs are high stakes because the experiments are ridden with toxic and hazardous chemicals. “It’s not like we try to do everything with toxic chemicals,” said Dr. Hamish Christie, a lecturer and organic lab coordinator in the department of chemistry and biochemistry. These toxic chemicals may sometimes be avoided with alternatives. For many majors at the UA, chemistry labs are required
coursework. According to the UA Green Fund, nearly 2,500 students cycle through general chemistry labs and 1,000 students take part in organic chemistry labs each semester. Such high numbers of students create liability issues by producing large amounts of hazardous waste products at the end of each lab. In 2013, Christie consulted the UA Green Fund in an effort to receive a grant that supports greener chemistry lab. He proposed limiting the use of toxic
metals, recycling byproducts and reducing the amount of chemicals used in the first place. Science is progressive “As chemists, we’re always interested in trying to do a better job,” Christie said. He and his colleagues realized that by revamping their experiments, the chemistry department could reduce the UA’s carbon footprint and make the department more
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