Investigation of the Chemical Inhibition Effect of Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria) on Timothy (Phleum pratense)─Introducing High School Students to Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Ecology

• Linus Svenberg ^[1] ; Lovisa Malm ^[2] ; Narin Abdollahzadeh ^[2] ; Negar Gohari ^[2] ; Maria Almlöv ^[2] ; Annika Norin ^[2] ; Åsa Emmer ^[1]
  1. [1] Royal Institute of Technology

     Royal Institute of Technology

     Suecia

     
  2. [2] Blackebergs Gymnasium, Sweden
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 100, Nº 3, 2023, págs. 1227-1236
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The understanding of analytical chemistry and its application in different areas of life science is something that should be encouraged for students studying chemistry, and also something that appeals to many students. Life science includes a vast variety of areas, out of which some are more easily approached in student projects. The chemical communication between organisms, such as plants, as described in chemical ecology is one example. It is therefore beneficial to offer students inquiry-based project work that allows them to explore, and gain a deeper understanding of, this discipline within the grand context that is chemistry. Hence, the present work describes the application of analytical chemistry using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including sample preparation for the study of chemical inhibitory (allelopathic) properties of compounds found in the plant Aegopodium podagraria. The questions posed to the students performing this project work were “What compounds can be found in the extracts of the plant?”, “Are the extracts allelopathic?”, and “Can you determine which compounds contribute to the possible allelopathic properties?”. The reported results indicate that the extracts might have allelopathic properties and showed that the extracts contained compounds such as α-pinene and β-caryophyllene. The identified terpenes were shown to have minor allelopathic properties by themselves but displayed an impact on the germination of seeds and length of the sprouts when applied as a blend. This project, and its results, proposes a framework for investigation of other plants and can be adapted to suit students at different academic levels.