Melissa Howard
Published: November 9, 2005
“In theory, the method works by a redox reaction of phenolphthalin into phenolphthalein via a Tetracyano Copper (II) (Copper in the paper came from solid Copper (II) Sulfide) to Tetracyano Copper (I), in a solution of pH > 9.3” (Cacace).
Sound a little confusing? To most people this sentence would mean nothing, but to David Cacace and the Sensor Group at the University of North Florida, this hypothesis unlocks a whole new mystery of scientific research.
The Sensor Group at UNF is currently funded by the United States Department of Defense to develop new methods to detect terrorist chemicals and other agents; the group mostly focuses on chemicals found in water.
The process they use is a detection method known as Flow Injection Analysis (FIA), which is a contained process of a colorimetric analysis (a process which includes testing water for chemicals by injecting an agent into the water and if the chemical they are testing for is found, the water will change color immediately).
David Cacace, a former student of PJC, recently worked on a new way to detect Cyanide with the Sensor Group. His method has been named “The Cacace Method of Colorimetric Detection of Cyanide in Water.”
Cacace’s professor has urged him to present his findings in March at the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, due to the achievements he has made in his research.
Though Cacace’s method works, he cannot seem to find out exactly how it does.
“Personally, I turn around the question every single day in my head, and have come up with many, many theories about how it could work, but nothing that makes a lot of sense yet. It torments me every day,” he said.
His former chemistry teacher at PJC, Lois Dixon, said, “That torment of not knowing why something happens, and the desire to find out, is what drives scientists to do research.”
“Clearly, David has that desire and that drive,” said Dixon in response to David’s constant work on the project.
Cacace also urges other students to discover as much as they can in their particular realm of study, and to never stop inquiring.
“As far as discovery goes, I guess the only thing I can say is to always think outside the lines, and always ask questions, even if you think they are dumb or pointless,” he said. “Sometimes just one question makes all the difference, especially in science.”