Abstract
In an undergraduate bioanalytical instrumental lab, students use capillary
electrophoresis to quantify L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in food samples. The students are
tasked to prepare standards, to obtain the calibration curves, and to determine the quantity of
L-ascorbic acid in tomato samples (Lycopersicon fruit). A discussion about the function of each
component of a capillary electrophoresis instrument, the effect of experimental variables, and
the use of different calibration strategies is also given. The experiment has been tested during
four courses, showing that lab-activities helped students learn this instrumental technique.
