00090 - Analytical Chemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the fundamental concepts of analytical chemistry and the tools to critically evaluate, including through statistical methods, the results obtained using analytical techniques.
Through individual laboratory exercises, the student will: deepen their understanding of the theoretical concepts learned by applying the main analytical techniques; acquire the practical skills necessary to operate in a laboratory setting.

Course contents

Important: The course, as further detailed in the "Teaching Methods" section, includes mandatory attendance laboratory activities. During the lectures, the laboratory exercises and the related safety regulations will be explained. For this reason, attendance of at least 70% of the lectures is required. Students who are unable to meet this attendance requirement must contact the instructor before the start of the course in order to agree on alternative methods of preparation for the laboratory. Without adequate preparation, participation in the laboratory sessions will not be allowed.

Prerequisites: It is assumed that students are familiar with the fundamentals of the following topics:
General Chemistry: Chemical reactions, Classification of chemical reactions, Redox reactions, Balancing redox reactions, Solutions, Electrolytes and non-electrolytes, Solubility, Solubilization process, Activity and concentration, Solution concentration, Definition of acids and bases, Acid-base systems in water, Self-ionization of water, Acid and base dissociation constants.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities: It is recommended to contact the University Office in charge in a timely manner (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ). The office will be responsible for proposing any necessary accommodations to the interested students, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance. The instructor will evaluate the appropriateness of the accommodations in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

THEORETICAL PARTANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY – GENERAL CONCEPTS

• The analytical process (common steps in chemical analysis)
• Definition of standard solution, blank standard solution, certified reference materials

STATISTICS

• Types of experimental errors
• Sources of experimental errors
• Correction of systematic error
• Accuracy and precision (definitions and parameters for their evaluation)
• Statistical parameters for processing replicated data (s, CV%, absolute error, relative error %, standard deviation of the mean)
• Student's t-test
• Confidence interval

TITRATIONS

• Chemical equivalence: equivalence point, end point, expression of chemical equivalence
• Neutralization titrations: titration reaction and standard solutions
• Acid-base indicators: use and properties
• Water hardness: definitions, units of measurement, classification
• Complexometric determination of water hardness
• EDTA: chemical properties and use as a titrant
• Complexometric indicators: use and properties of NET

SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

• Lambert-Beer law: definitions and use in quantitative analysis
• Absorbance and transmittance
• Absorbance measurements: wavelength selection, deviation from linearity
• Spectrophotometry instrumentation: light sources, wavelength selectors, sample holders, detectors, optical materials
• Single-beam and double-beam spectrophotometers

STOICHIOMETRY

• Definitions of molar mass, molar concentration, percentage concentration (%w/w, %v/v, %w/v)
• Relationship between solution molarity, solute mass and moles, molar mass, and solution volume
• Equation for solution dilution
• Application of the chemical equivalence equation

LABORATORY MODULE

• Calibration: Calibration of glassware and automatic pipettes, expression of results (mean and standard deviation), writing of a lab report
• Acid/base titration, applied to strong and weak acids, and to a real sample (vinegar)
• Determination of water hardness using the complexometric method
• Determination of glucose in aqueous solution using the enzymatic end-point method and absorbance spectrophotometry

Readings/Bibliography

- Lecture slides available on the Online Teaching platform (virtuale.unibo.it [https://virtuale.unibo.it/] - access requires login credentials).

- Chimica Analitica: una Introduzione, D.A. Skoog, D.M. West, F.J. Holler, (EdiSES).

- Elementi di Chimica Analitica, Daniel C. Harris (Zanichelli Editore).

- Chimica Analitica Quantitativa, Daniel C. Harris (Zanichelli Editore).

- Fondamenti di Chimica Analitica di Skoog e West, F.J. Holler, S.R. Crouch (EdiSES).

- Il laboratorio di Chimica Analitica, Marco Grotti (EdiSES)

Teaching methods

The course is worth 6 ECTS credits, of which 4 ECTS are for lectures (32 hours) and 2 ECTS for laboratory sessions with mandatory attendance (24 hours, usually organized into two full days of 8 hours each and 2 half days of 4 hours each).

During the lectures, the course topics will be presented and discussed, with theoretical insights and illustrative examples. The laboratory exercises will be introduced during the lectures. These exercises aim to help each student acquire the necessary practical skills and knowledge of basic analytical techniques to work in a laboratory environment following principles of quality and safety.

Students will process the results obtained in the lab using statistical tools learned during the lectures and will submit a written report on their laboratory experiences.

Given the nature of the activities and teaching methods used, attendance in this course requires all students (including all incoming international students, e.g., ERASMUS) to complete Modules 1 and 2 in e-learning mode [https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/health-and-assistance/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-in-study-and-internship-places], and to attend Module 3, which provides specific training on health and safety in study environments.

Information on the dates and attendance procedures for Module 3 can be found in the dedicated section of the degree program website (under “Studying” → “Mandatory training on health and safety”).

Assessment methods

Assessment of knowledge covering the entire course program will be carried out through the following evaluations:

• Partial test on stoichiometry and statistics: a 60-minute written test consisting of numerical exercises aimed at solving analytical problems. Passing this partial test exempts the student from completing the exercises in the final exam and may contribute additional points to the final grade.

• Laboratory reports: reports on the laboratory exercises must be submitted—according to the instructions provided in the course presentation slides—before taking the final exam.

• Final written exam: a 90-minute written test including three open-ended questions covering all topics discussed during the lectures and two numerical exercises on stoichiometry and statistics. Students who have passed the partial test will only be required to answer the open-ended questions, with a time limit of 60 minutes.

The evaluation criteria are based on the student’s ability to demonstrate the use and application of the knowledge, information, and cultural tools provided by the course.

In particular, the assessment will verify the student’s understanding of the following topics:

• Fundamentals of the analytical chemical process and its application to real-world problem solving
• Principles of chemical equilibrium in analytical chemistry
• Volumetric titration methods
• Spectrophotometric methods

The minimum passing threshold is defined by the student’s ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of the course topics.

The instructor is available for further clarification and to assess the student’s level of preparation before the exam.

Teaching tools

Equipment:
Video projector, interactive whiteboard, PC, laboratories with individual workstations, equipment and glassware, spectrophotometers.

Teaching materials:
The teaching materials presented during lectures will be made available to students in electronic format via the internet. Students are expected to print the materials and bring them to class.

To access the teaching materials:
https://virtuale.unibo.it/
Access is restricted to students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Link to additional information:
http://www.unibo.it/docenti/andrea.zattoni

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Zattoni