In June, some of our Lower Sixth Chemistry A Level students enjoyed a visit to the University of Southampton. They worked in the undergraduate teaching labs, where they used a rotary evaporator and successfully isolated some triglyceride, extracting it from nutmeg. This was confirmed by thin layer chromatography and by using melting point analysis. They were also shown around the chemical engineering lab, where they saw a bioreactor – a device which provides a controlled environment to cultivate products from plants, animals, and bacteria. An informative day.
