The next time you sip a chilled Chardonnay or gaze lovingly at a full-bodied Merlot, spare a thought for what exactly is in your glass and why it is there. The chemical analysis of wine was the focus of this year’s ‘Schools’ Analyst Competition’ held recently (before the lockdown!) at Stranmillis University College Belfast.
The event, organised by the Analytical Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry, aims to showcase the important role that analytical chemistry plays in the pharmaceutical industry, the regulation of standards for food and drink and the monitoring of the environment. The methods of analysis all relate to the A-level chemistry curriculum and the pupils are assessed on their accuracy, precision and ability to work as a team.
This year the competition was generously sponsored by local entrepreneur Dr Terry Cross OBE, owner of Château de La Ligne in Bordeaux, and featured the analysis of the white wine Marquis de la Ligne Bordeaux Blanc.
Teams of three sixth-form pupils representing 13 schools from across Northern Ireland competed to produce the most accurate determination of the wine’s acid content, sulphur dioxide levels and concentration of iron. The principal acid present in grapes is tartaric acid which gives the wine a tart taste.
The amount of acid present in wine varies and depends on the region the wine comes from, the climate the grapes were exposed to, and the conditions during fermentation. As the acid content influences the taste of the wine it is closely monitored and can be altered by addition of the base potassium hydrogen carbonate. Sulphur dioxide or sulphites are added to wine as a preservative to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and therefore ensure that the wine is safer to drink.
Sulphite is also an antioxidant and prevents the deterioration of flavour and discolouration by inhibiting both enzymic and non-enzymic browning. Since sulphites are normal products of the human body’s metabolism, we are able to cope with them provided the levels are not too high. Therefore the amount of sulphite added to wine must be carefully regulated as, in very high concentrations, it can produce gastric irritation and destroy the essential nutrient thiamine (Vitamin B1). Wine also contains low levels of iron which is taken up from the soil by the vine as the grapes grow and mature.
The winning team from Lumen Christi College Derry was presented with their certificates and book tokens to the value of £200 Dr Terry Cross OBE. The pupils from Rainey Endowed School (£100) came a close second, followed by Belfast High School (£80) and Rathmore Grammar School (£60).
Terry praised the pupils’ practical skills and was particularly impressed at how they were able to put their knowledge of chemistry theory into practice. Addressing the pupils and their teachers he said, “As a business man and employer I am delighted to see high quality team work and problem-solving skills used in real-life scenarios. Our future economy relies on having the type of talented and dedicated young people I have observed here today.”
All of the participants were found to meet the required level of accuracy and precision in their analyses and so were each presented with a certificate to mark their attainment and a book token.
Finally, on considering the pupils’ finding that a standard glass of Marquis de la Ligne Bordeaux Blanc would only contribute 4% to the recommended daily intake of iron, fortified breakfast cereals, lentils and spinach remain a better and healthier option!
For more information on the competition please contact J.McCullagh@stran.ac.uk
Top photo caption:
(from left) Dr Michael Harriott (Chair of The NI Analytical Division of RSC), the winning team of Patrick Gormley, Sean Morrison and Lewis McGarrigle, and the event sponsor Mr Terry Cross, owner of Château de La Ligne in Bordeaux.
On St. Valentine’s Day this year Stranmillis University College grounds turned into a sea of red where over 100 children, staff and invited guests ran The Daily Mile in red t-shirts sponsored by The British Heart Foundation, as part of the NI Science Festival. Giving a “hearty” Stranmillis welcome, Professor Heaslett Principal of Stranmillis University introduced the guest of honour on this most special day; the founder of The Daily Mile, Elaine Wyllie MBE.
sponsors, The British Heart Foundation NI. The Daily Mile is a fantastic initiative as it is fully inclusive – every child, whatever their circumstances, age or ability can succeed at The Daily Mile. Children’s self-esteem, wellbeing and satisfaction can all improve. These skills are essential skills that will ultimately help children’s ability to learn. It is important to have adult role models doing TDM with children to show inclusiveness and the encouragement of the development of children’s relationships with their friends. It’s a great social activity for children to bond with their peers in a safe environment and it definitely helps concentration. It is about fun, freedom, fitness, improving health and wellbeing and being outside in the fresh air. The benefits of The Daily Mile go far beyond staying physically healthy. It is really positive that so many schools and clubs already take part in The Daily Mile and in Stranmillis we strive to encourage even more to get involved. It is my hope that The Daily Mile will become a province-wide daily activity in all schools in NI. Currently there are 274 schools registered in NI doing The Daily Mile which is 56,488 children participating in The Daily Mile in NI. The Daily Mile is in 78 countries across the world with over 10,880 schools signed up”.
An international one-day conference – Imagining Children and Conflict: Learning from Comics and Picture Books in French – was held at Stranmillis on Saturday 1st February.
an allegory of the Holocaust, now available for borrowing in Stranmillis library. Rachel also paid a short visit to No Alibis bookshop to sign a copy of her book.
In support of Stranmillis University College’s Eco Campus initiative, the College’s Estates team were recently involved in planting 24 new oak and beech trees around the campus as part of the College’s felling and restocking programme to improve the health, structure and diversity of campus woodland. 
