Vitamin B2 in the Spotlight - Lab Experiment: Detection in Action

Vitamin B2 is a fluorescent compound. The intensity of fluorescence can be measured by school-compatible measuring systems. This property is utilized in an inquiry-based laboratory experiment designed for students, focusing on deductive reasoning and the detection of vitamin B2 in food samples. The proposed experiment is suitable for high school curricula in biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and organic chemistry and provides interdisciplinary links to biology, mathematics, and physics. The experiment was tested with students from grade 8 to grade 13. The achievement of the pedagogical objectives was evaluated using pre-tests, post-tests, and self-evaluation questionnaires. The experimental design is suitable and manageable for students across various age groups. Participation in the experiment increased students’ self-confidence in chemical calculations, skills, and the construction of calibration curves, although pre-test and post-test results did not always correspond to their self-assessments in the questionnaires.