ISSN 0110-5566 (Print) ISSN 2624-1161 (Online) Volume 83, No.4, October 2019 Laboratory recreations of Titan’s cyanide sky Chemical speciation models: simplifying the complexity of the ocean Determining the provenance of the water source by measuring strontium isotope abundance ratios in beer and cider made in Dunedin, New Zealand From ugly duckling to real swan: transformation of the Science I chemistry laboratories into the new Mellor Laboratories at the University of Otago Celmisia, New Zealand’s alpine daisies: assessing a sticky situation to “trichome” up with some answers Happy 50th anniversary, Jim! Davy and the voltaic pile Published on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry in January, April, July and October. The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Printed by Graphic Press Incorporated PO Box 13798 Disclaimer Johnsonville The views and opinions expressed in Chemistry in New Zealand are those of the individual authors and are Wellington 6440 not necessarily those of the publisher, the Editorial Email: [email protected] Board or the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. Whilst the publisher has taken every precaution to ensure the total accuracy of material contained in Editor Chemistry in New Zealand, no responsibility for errors Dr Catherine Nicholson or omissions will be accepted. C/- BRANZ, Private Bag 50 908 Copyright Porirua 5240 The contents of Chemistry in New Zealand are subject Phone: 04 238 1329 to copyright and must not be reproduced in any Mobile: 027 348 7528 form, wholly or in part, without the permission of the Publisher and the Editorial Board. Email: [email protected] Publisher Rebecca Hurrell Email: [email protected] Advertising Sales Email: [email protected] The International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry On behalf of the local organising committee, you are invited to participate in the International Symposium on Supramolecular and Macrocyclic Chemistry (ISMSC-2020) to be held in Sydney, Australia from July 12 – 16, 2020. ISMSC-2020 will provide a forum for the discussion of all aspects of macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry, including nanoscience and materials science. It will follow the style of the preceding meetings in the series with a single scientific session running throughout the conference. ISMSC, the International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry, came from a fusion of the International Symposium on Macrocyclic Chemistry (ISMC) and the International Symposium on Supramolecular Chemistry (ISSC). These meetings combined in 2006 and since then have been held on an annual basis in a different location. Join us for the meeting in Sydney in 2020! https://www.ismsc2020.org/home Contents Volume 83, No.4, October 2019 Articles and features 138 Laboratory recreations of Titan’s cyanide sky Courtney Ennis, Rebecca Auchettl 143 Chemical speciation models: simplifying the complexity of the ocean Anna C. Lunde Hermansson 150 Determining the provenance of the water source by measuring strontium isotope abundance ratios in beer and cider made in Dunedin, New Zealand Tayla Hill 153 Celmisia, New Zealand’s alpine daisies: assessing a sticky situation to “trichome” up with some answers David Rubin 157 Happy 50th anniversary, Jim! 159 From ugly duckling to real swan: transformation of the Science I chemistry laboratories into the new Mellor Laboratories at the University of Otago Lyall Hanton 162 Davy and the voltaic pile Richard Sorrenson Other columns 126 From the President 164 Author index 127 NZIC news 165 Subject index 125 Chemistry in New Zealand October 2019 Comment from the President Welcome to the October issue of Chemistry in New Zealand. 2019 is drawing to a close already (!) and we are coming towards the culmination of our International Year of the Periodic Table celebrations with our IYPT2019 competition for schools and school-age children now closed. The judges will shortly start deliberating with the outcomes announced at the NZIC2019 National Conference. Preparations for the conference are almost complete, and more details can be found on the website here: https:// nzic2019.co.nz The provisional timetable is being compiled From the President and the clock on the front page is counting down to the opening ceremony so get those last minute registrations in before they close completely. We have a fantastic line- up of plenary and keynote speakers including recent NZIC prize-winners and many Australasian representatives on the IUPAC Periodic Table of Younger Chemists who will be giving keynote presentations. Combined with the popular student oral presentation competition, poster session, conference dinner at the amazing Christchurch Town Hall and beer tasting event for all you craft beer lovers it is sure to be a great celebration of all things chemistry in New Zealand. Council are currently working through the strong cifically the topic of supporting women as early career re- applications for the 2019 NZIC national prizes and we searchers. I am looking forward to this opportunity to dis- are delighted to welcome sciPAD on board as our new cuss career progression for early career researchers, the sponsor of the Denis Hogan Chemical Education Award. challenges that can be faced and strategies to overcome SciPAD is produced by Silverback Academic Media, a New them. Zealand company. sciPAD with augmented reality (AR) offers learners incredibly immersive visualisations and Once the ACC conference is over it will definitely be time provides an extraordinary learning experience by bringing for a wee break but then the planning for NZIC events in to light unseen perspectives of the learning content. We 2020 will start in earnest. I am looking forward to being are excited to have them sponsor our premiere award for able to come to the branches to meet lots of members and chemistry education in New Zealand. All the winners of interact with everyone throughout the year. We also have the 2019 prizes and awards will be formally announced at a new student prize that will be announced at the AGM the NZIC AGM to be held on the afternoon of Wednesday and introduced at the start of 2020, so there will be plenty 27th November at the NZIC2019 conference. to do to promote that exciting opportunity. We are definitely in Science and Technology Fair season, Please do remember that we are part owners of several and the NZIC is proud to be associated with these as a journals, namely Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics sponsor. The Otago and Canterbury Fairs have taken place, (PCCP) and those associated with the Asian Chemical Edi- with some excellent projects being acknowledged with torial Society (ACES) namely Chemistry – An Asian Journal, prizes. It is essential to support our young budding scien- Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry and ChemNanoMat. tists and chemists with advice and encouragement, per- As a society we receive royalties whenever a researcher haps providing access to facilities or key pieces of equip- based in New Zealand publishes an article in these jour- ment in our workplaces that the students cannot access nals. This income is valuable to us as it allows us to further at school. Also important is to encourage the students to support researchers in New Zealand through sponsorship, keep asking questions and not lose that scientific curiosity travel grants and other forms of recognition. that is the hallmark of great researchers around the world. Finally, a reminder again that NZIC is on social media! I am excited to be heading to Taiwan in December to rep- We’re on Facebook (search New Zealand Institute of resent the NZIC at the 20th General Assembly of the Fed- Chemistry) and Twitter (our handle is @_NZIC). Please fol- eration of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) immediately low us. On Twitter, please tag @_NZIC in chemistry related before the 18th Asian Chemical Congress (ACC). The Asian tweets, and use the hashtag #nzchem to build up a record Chemical Congress is a biennial event organised by mem- of exciting NZ chemistry related news. It has been great bers of the FACS. It is important to maintain and build the to see this used by NZ and overseas researchers to high- relationships with our regional societies and I look forward light their fantastic research and outreach activities. Use to connecting with my fellow society presidents as well as #NZIC2019 for the upcoming NZIC2019 conference. participating in the ACC, giving a scientific research talk Sarah Masters as well as sitting on an RSC discussion panel. The panel session is on women’s progression in chemistry and spe- NZIC President 126 Chemistry in New Zealand October 2019 News New Zealand Institute of Chemistry supporting chemical sciences October News NOTICE OF NZIC AGM Thank you to Fan Zhu, Viji Sarojini, to Katrina Graaf and John Lau who Rebecca Deed, Tasdeeq Mohammed, organised the event beforehand and Date: Wednesday 27 November Katie Parish-Virtue and John Lau on the day as well as Bikimi Ayiya, 2019 for organising the Showcase – well Luis Camacho, Stephen Lo, Taniela done! The generosity of our spon- Lolohea, Stuart Morrow, Mansa Nair, Venue: C1, Central Lecture Theatre sors is also acknowledged, especially Sneh Patel, Joel Rindelaub, Rosanna Block, University of Canterbury, our Platinum sponsors ECP and the Rov, Tasha Steel, Deanna Truong, Christchurch Energy Education Trust of New Zea- Fearghal Walsh, Andy Wang, Pooja Time: TBA (following the close of land, and Gold Sponsors MicroAna- Yadav, Jeff Boyle, Selena Choi and NZIC conference)