This topic will provide an overview of common analytical chemistry techniques used in various case studies, such as chromatography, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry.
Introduction to Analytical Chemistry Techniques
Key concepts, major categories, and representative methods
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Goal | Identify (qualitative) and quantify (quantitative) chemical species in a sample. |
| Scope | Environmental monitoring, pharmaceuticals, food safety, forensics, materials science, clinical diagnostics, etc. |
| Approach | Combine sample preparation, separation, detection, and data interpretation. |
| Category | Primary Purpose | Typical Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Spectroscopy | Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter → provides structural/quantitative info. | UV‑Vis, IR, Raman, Fluorescence, Atomic Absorption (AAS), ICP‑OES, NMR |
| Chromatography | Separate components based on differential partitioning/mobility. | Gas Chromatography (GC), Liquid Chromatography (LC), Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC), Thin‑layer Chromatography (TLC) |
| Mass Spectrometry (MS) | Measure mass‑to‑charge ratios of ions; often coupled to a separation step. | GC‑MS, LC‑MS, MALDI‑TOF, ICP‑MS |
| Electrochemical Methods | Measure electrical properties (current, potential) related to redox processes. | Potentiometry, Polarography, Voltammetry, Amperometry, Conductometry |
| Thermal/Physical Methods | Detect changes in physical properties with temperature or pressure. | Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X‑ray Diffraction (XRD) |
| Hybrid/Multimodal Techniques | Combine two or more principles for enhanced selectivity/sensitivity. | LC‑MS/MS, GC‑FID‑MS, ICP‑OES‑MS, Raman‑Microscopy, Surface‑Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) |
Sampling & Sample Preparation
Separation (if required)
Detection & Quantification
Data Processing & Validation