The installation of Asynt’s CondenSyn waterless air condensers throughout teaching labs at the Department of Chemistry at the College of the Sequoias (Visalia, CA) is benefitting the wider community whilst providing outstanding performance for students.
Ongoing water shortages resulted in California water officials imposing new drought rules to discourage wasteful water practices. Whilst unaffected by the regulations, scientists at the College of the Sequoias decided to evaluate the CondenSyn as an alternative to traditional water condensers previously used for reflux reactions.
The 22 waterless condensers purchased by the company have already drastically reduced water usage by the Department of Chemistry and eliminated the risk of lab flooding accidents. Andrea Smith, a chemistry lab technician at the College of the Sequoias, said: “Our area (the central valley of California), has been in drought-like conditions for quite a few years. Households and businesses are under severe water restrictions, having had to reduce water consumption yearly. While the college was not under the same restrictions, it only made sense that we should also strive to reduce our water usage/waste. It was laboratory supply company – Quark Glass - who suggested that the Asynt CondenSyn waterless condensers offered us an elegant eco-friendly but effective alternative to water-cooled condensers.”
She added: “We are using the CondenSyn waterless condensers for teaching labs that require students to perform reflux reactions in water, methanol, or ethanol. This semester, we will use them in the preparation of methyl salicylate/oil of wintergreen (an esterification using salicylic acid and sulfuric acid refluxed in methanol), and the preparation of the analgesic benzocaine, another esterification using p-aminobenzoic acid and sulfuric acid in ethanol.
“Not only are the condensers making the labs eco-friendlier, but they are also saving money as the department’s rate of water consumption has been reduced dramatically. For example, with every single overnight reflux run, a lab can save almost 3,000 litres of water – times that by twenty students and it is around a staggering 60,000 litres. Our students have found the CondenSyn units to be easy to use as there are no water connections to make, we can use them open to atmosphere, and the 19/22 ground glass joints are perfect for our commonly used round bottom flasks.”
For further information on CondenSyn waterless condensers please visit www.asynt.com/products/benchtop-synthesis-tools/condensyn-air-condensers/, or in the USA contact Quark Glass on 800 955 0376 / sales@quarkglass.com.
The Department of Chemistry at the College of the Sequoias (https://www.cos.edu/en-us/academics/science/chemistry) educates students in both inorganic and organic chemistry. Graduates of College of the Sequoias Chemistry Department have successfully established themselves as leaders in the fields of health, education, industry, and government.
