As I have written before, the research project I am working on this year involves the use of whole plant parts as reagents in organic synthesis. It is a great project for a place like Cambodia as one can explore the use of a variety of vegetables, bought at the local market, as reagents. Last time I looked, there hadn't been any research of this sort published out of Asia. It is also ideal in that as a green chemistry project, the reaction solvent is water, and there really are no other expensive reagents. The solvent used at the end of the reaction can be recycled and used again. All I needed to start this project was some interesting reagents from a chemical storeroom that could either by oxidized, reduced or hydrolyzed, a couple solvents and the vegetables. (Those will be the only chemistry words in this post.) The project was designed for a place like Phnom Penh!
I had been told there were a lot of old chemicals (Russian era) around the department at RUPP. Well, turns out, most of these are inorganic chemicals, and not useful in my work. Actually, for most of these, there are probably 50 bottles of exactly the same thing - something that was at one time donated or very cheap! In reality, there are very few organic chemicals here. But I did find the one I wanted to use most - the one reagent that would get me started and keep me going for quite some time.
However, I have spent the last several weeks trying to figure out if the reagent really is what the bottle says it is. I've got one new, very useful instrument here that has helped me conclude that this is not the case. I've tried several methods of purification, but none have worked as they should have. With additional interpretation from Anne, back at Messiah College, I have now decided to order new.
Meanwhile, I had ordered a few unique chemicals for my work that would take me further. Here in chemistry, the faculty take a couple trips a year by bus to HoChiMinh City to purchase supplies and chemicals. They went this fall, but alas, I never knew about the trip until the day they brought their "treasures" home. A Dutch colleague of mine ordered his research chemicals through a Vietnamese man in town, and I decided to go that route.
Placing the order was easy. Getting the chemicals picked up has been another. I was given a house and street number for a trucking company here in town. Last week I took a moto ride to this street twice, and looked for the house. (I do not yet find moto rides pleasurable.) The house numbers stopped one below the number I had been given! And best I could tell from the map, this wasn't a very long street. So, even if the numbers were not in order, I should have found it. I walked the whole thing twice!
I even gave my phone to my motodup driver, and he called the place. He wasn't able to communicate with them.
So I asked my Dutch friend again. Sure enough I had been given the wrong street number. And yes, I have no language skills with which to communicate with them. They only speak Vietnamese - no English or Khmer.
Today I got a call on my phone. I recognized the number. The Trucking Company. The only word that was spoken to me was "Vietnam." I'm hoping my chemicals are in. I'll soon be off with one of the national MCC staff, this time in the truck, to pick them up - hopefully to the correct street this time.
Nothing is simple here. Thank goodness for the arrival of my second care package from Messiah College chemistry yesterday! Better than candy and food. They are supplying me with many other things that have turned out to be hard to find in chemistry at RUPP, but not chemicals. Opening the box will be like an early Christmas for me!
- Roseann
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