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Syllabus

P000029 Analytical Methods in Chemical Ecology, 6.0 Credits

Subjects

Biology

Education cycle

Postgraduate level

Grading scale

Language

English

Prior knowledge

The course is intended for PhD students in chemical ecology, analytical chemistry, ecology or related fields. Postdocs and M.Sc. students are also welcome.

Objectives

After completion of the course, the students should:

• Have a good practical knowledge of methods for sampling of organic compounds
• Understand gas chromatography and liquid chromatography analytical techniques
• Have a good practical knowledge how to choose methods, columns and detectors for chromatographic separations
• Understand different methods for identification of organic compounds
• Have a good practical knowledge how to identify and quantify organic compounds with GC-MS

Content

The course contains a combination of online training, lectures, workshops and practical exercises.

The lectures will cover methods of extraction of organic compounds, such as aeration, SPE, SPME and choices of organic solvents, as well as chromatography techniques such as liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Modern identification methods in chemical ecology, including HR-GC/MS and MS/MS will be covered.

The practical exercises include workshops, covering for example interpretation of electron impact mass spectra, and preparation-and-analysis of samples using the analytical instrumentation at Chemical Ecology, Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp.

Additional information

**Pedagogical form**

The course has a practical focus with hands-on laboratory exercises, while also containing preparatory online excercises and major elements of lectures and student-run workshops.

**Time table**

The course is scheduled full time for two weeks (minus the last Friday). Generally, there are lectures in the mornings (ca 9-12), followed by workshops or practical laboratory exercises in the afternoons (ca 13-17). Ca two weeks before the first lecture, there will be a two-hour Zoom start-up meeting where pre-study material will be handed out. The last day is reserved for student presentations/examinations.