23737 - Bioanalytical Chemistry

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have acquired a fundamental understanding of conventional spectroscopic and separation-based analytical techniques, as well as the principal bioanalytical methodologies. They will be able to interpret analytical data and select the most appropriate analytical methods for specific applications. Upon completion of the laboratory activities, students will be able to apply experimental protocols related to the topics covered during the theoretical lectures.

Course contents

The course consists of two modules covering the topics outlined below. Students are expected to have a basic knowledge of mathematics, general chemistry, and organic chemistry, as well as (for the laboratory module) familiarity with standard laboratory procedures and the operation of common laboratory equipment.

Module 1 – Lectures (4 CFU, 32 hours)

Processing and interpretation of experimental data. Errors in experimental measurements: random, systematic, and gross errors. Characteristics and identification of different types of error. Statistical treatment of random errors. Statistical analysis of small data sets. Confidence intervals. Main statistical significance tests. Error on single measurements, replicate measurements, and calculated results. Error propagation. Significant figures and rounding.
Quantitative analysis, calibration, and method validation. Construction of calibration curves. Linear, linearized, and nonlinear calibration curves. Linear and nonlinear regression analysis. Assessment of calibration curve quality. Calibration methods: external calibration, internal standard calibration, and the standard addition method. Validation of analytical methods. Performance characteristics of analytical methods: accuracy, precision, selectivity, linear range, dynamic range, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and robustness.
Instrumental methods of analysis. UV–Visible spectrophotometry. Electromagnetic spectrum. Absorption processes and absorption spectra. Lambert–Beer law and its limitations. Spectrophotometric error. Quantitative analysis and analysis of mixtures. Instrumentation for spectrophotometry. Spectrofluorometry. Emission processes: fluorescence and phosphorescence. Excitation and emission spectra. Quantitative analysis. Instrumentation for fluorescence measurements. Chemiluminescence. Direct and indirect chemiluminescence. Emission kinetics. Quantitative analysis. Major chemiluminescent systems. Instrumentation for chemiluminescence measurements. Potentiometry. Conventional and ion-selective electrodes. Operating principles of ion-selective electrodes. Glass electrode for pH measurement and its limitations. Other ion-selective electrodes. Quantitative analysis. Separative techniques. Principles of chromatographic separation. Chromatographic bands and chromatograms. Qualitative and quantitative analysis. Column efficiency and the factors affecting chromatographic performance. Retention mechanisms and their relationship to analyte properties. Planar (e.g., thin-layer chromatography, TLC) and column liquid chromatography. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Instrumentation for HPLC.
Bioanalytical methods. Enzymatic methods. Enzyme kinetics and the Michaelis–Menten equation. Definition and measurement of enzyme reaction rates. Detection of enzymatic reaction products using direct and indirect spectrophotometric methods, spectrofluorimetric methods, chemiluminescence-based methods, and non-spectroscopic techniques. Quantitative analysis using kinetic and end-point enzymatic assays. Coupled enzyme reactions. Determination of substrates, enzymes, and enzyme inhibitors. Immunological methods. Properties and production of antibodies. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. “Synthetic” antibodies. Direct and tracer-based immunoassays. Labels and detection techniques. Homogeneous and heterogeneous immunoassays. Antibody immobilization. Competitive and non-competitive immunoassays. Quantitative analysis. Immunochromatographic assays and other applications of immunological methods.

Module 2 – Laboratory practicals (2 CFU, 30 hours)

Practical laboratory sessions involving the application of analytical (i.e., spectrophotometric and potentiometric) and bioanalytical (i.e., enzymatic and immunological methods) techniques introduced during the theoretical lectures. Each laboratory practical includes the analysis of an unknown sample, for which students are required to determine analyte concentration.

Readings/Bibliography

PowerPoint slides and lecture notes constitute the primary study material for the final exam. The slides will be made available through the University of Bologna's “Virtuale” platform. The platform will also provide laboratory exercise instructions, guidelines for the preparation of laboratory reports, and additional teaching materials (e.g., exercises with solutions, multiple-choice self-assessment tests, and information sheets on reagents and instrumentation discussed during the lectures).

Recommended textbooks
For students requiring additional support or wishing to deepen their understanding of certain topics, the following texts are suggested.
Statistics and processing of experimental data: G. Filatrella, P. Romano, Elaborazione statistica dei dati sperimentali, 2° Ed. (EdiSES, 2022); M. Grotti, F. Ardini, Il laboratorio di chimica analitica, 1° Ed. (EdiSES, 2022).
General analytical chemistry: J.F. Holler, S.R. Crouch, Fondamenti di chimica analitica, 3° Ed. (EdiSES, 2015); D.C. Harris, Chimica analitica quantitativa, 3° Ed. (Zanichelli, 2017); L. Sabbatini, C. Malitesta, P. Pastore, Chimica analitica, 1° Ed. (EdiSES, 2025).
Bioanalytical chemistry: A. Manz, P.S. Dittrich, N. Pamme, D. Iossifidis, Bioanalytical chemistry, 2° Ed. (Imperial College Press, 2015).

Teaching methods

The course consists of a lecture’s module and a laboratory practical module. During the lectures, the course topics will be presented and discussed, with emphasis on their theoretical foundations and supported by problem-solving exercises. During the laboratory sessions, students will apply the analytical and bioanalytical techniques introduced in the lectures and develop the practical skills required to work in a laboratory in accordance with quality assurance and safety standards. For each laboratory session, students are required to submit a laboratory report in which, by using the tools acquired during the course, they will process and interpret the experimental data to determine the concentration of an unknown sample.

Attendance at laboratory sessions is mandatory. To be eligible for the final examination, students must attend at least 80% of the laboratory activities.

Given the nature of the laboratory activities and the teaching methods adopted, attendance at the laboratory sessions requires all students (including incoming international students, e.g. ERASMUS students) to complete modules 1 and 2 of the online safety training and to attend module 3, which provides specific training on health and safety in study environments. Information regarding the schedule and attendance procedures for module 3 is available in the dedicated section of the Degree Programme website.

Assessment methods

The course assessment includes a final oral examination. Students must register for the examination session through AlmaEsami to take the oral exam. The final grade for the course is the sum of the marks obtained in the oral examination (maximum 20/30) and the laboratory activities (maximum 10/30). Submission of the laboratory reports, according to the procedures that will be explained during the laboratory sessions, is a mandatory requirement for admission to the oral examination.
Oral examination. The oral examination is designed to assess whether students have acquired the expected knowledge and skills. Students will be evaluated on their knowledge of experimental data processing and analysis procedures, as well as their understanding of the principles underlying the analytical and bioanalytical techniques covered during the course. The oral examination will be graded according to the following criteria.
20 - 20L/30: thorough preparation on all course topics, excellent critical thinking and ability to establish connections among concepts, and complete mastery of the appropriate scientific terminology.
18 - 19/30: good preparation on most course topics, good critical thinking skills, and use of appropriate scientific terminology.
15 - 17/30: preparation covering a substantial portion of the course topics, limited critical thinking skills, and use of scientific terminology that is not always accurate.
12 - 14/30: adequate preparation on a limited number of course topics, poor critical thinking skills, and inappropriate use of scientific terminology.
Laboratory activities. Laboratory activities will be evaluated based on the laboratory reports submitted by the student. Both the correctness of the experimental data processing procedures and the agreement between the calculated results and the expected concentrations of the unknown samples will be considered. The laboratory mark will be assigned as follows: the maximum score (10/30) will be reduced by 0.5 points for each report in which the experimental data have been processed correctly but the calculated concentration of the unknown sample deviates excessively from the expected value (the maximum acceptable errors range from 10% to 30%), and by 1 point for each report containing errors in the experimental data processing procedure.

Regarding the final exam, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) or temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University's designated support office in advance. The office will assess their needs and, where appropriate, propose reasonable accommodations. Any proposed accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance. The instructor will evaluate their suitability, taking into account the intended learning outcomes of the course.

Teaching tools

Lectures will be delivered using a multimedia projector. Practical laboratory sessions will take place in a teaching laboratory equipped with the necessary instrumentation. All teaching materials used during lectures and/or required for the laboratory sessions will be made available through the University of Bologna's “Virtuale” platform. Students are required to print and bring to the laboratory the handouts for the practical sessions.

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Guardigli