Overview:

The Virtual Laboratory module links to Modules 1 & 2. The videos showcase instrument setup and calibration, sample collection, testing as well as analysis. Data sets and worksheets have also been developed for each lab.

The five laboratory components will include lab videos of experiments being conducted with toxicants and instrumentation as outlined below:

• Lab I. Alcohol. Alcohol testing will be accomplished using remote wireless tool which is analogous to a breathalyzer test. The content for the lab will include videos of instrumentation setup and calibration, as well as testing various alcohols, and unknown samples.
• Lab II. Confirmatory testing. The laboratory will focus on using ESI-MS to test for over the counter medications and their metabolites. Videos will be created showcasing instrument setup and calibration, sample preparation and testing as well as analysis.
• Lab III. Over the counter medication. Aspirin and its metabolite will be used as a representative examples of a medication, which is commonly observed in toxicological reports. Salicylate will be quantified using UV-vis spectroscopy. The unknown samples will be tested and analyzed and the interpretation provided in relation to a crime scenario. Videos will be created showcasing instrument setup and calibration, sample preparation and testing as well as analysis.
• Lab IV. Heavy-metal ions. Heavy-metal ion poisoning will be explored in this lab by using paper-based presumptive colour tests for the presence of lead. This lab will also compare results of lead test with other heavy-metal ions, which may be interferants. Videos will be created showcasing paper-test fabrication and calibration, sample preparation and testing as well as analysis. 
• Lab V. Volatile organic chemicals. VOC are toxicants encountered in common household and construction items, in environmental forensics, and represent important chemicals that need to be considered by a toxicologist. In this lab, various VOC compounds will be tested by using gas chromatography instrument, their concentrations determined and complex mixtures resolved.

Learning Goals: