Spicy Electrochemistry: Quantifying Chili Heat as a Didactic Approach to Incorporate Electroanalysis into the Undergraduate Curriculum

Electroanalysis is essential in undergraduate analytical chemistry labs, but it often lacks practical coverage, creating a gap between theory and experiment that hinders student learning. Practical training in electroanalysis is increasingly important, as analytical electrochemistry skills are in demand in the job market. Electrochemical methods are attractive due to their low cost, sensitivity, and accuracy. This work presents a low-cost, hands-on experiment to integrate electroanalysis into undergraduate curricula. The experiment involves the voltammetric determination of capsaicin (CAP) (the compound responsible for the heat of chili peppers) in hot sauce and fresh chili using disposable multiwalled carbon nanotube-modified screen-printed electrodes (MWCNT-SPEs) and portable potentiostats. The activity combines guided inquiry, discovery-oriented data interpretation, and relatable real-life examples to promote student engagement. Key theoretical concepts and essential experimental skills in electroanalytical chemistry are reinforced, leading to strong pedagogical outcomes and a better bridging between theory and practice.