C9363 - CHIMICA ANALITICA E STRUMENTALE

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with an understanding of and the ability to optimize common analytical procedures, as well as to apply analytical methods for the characterization of products, materials, and processes across a wide range of industrial sectors.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to identify and understand the main components of the analytical process: (1) definition of the analytical objective; (2) sampling; (3) removal of interferences and/or analyte preconcentration; (4) measurement; (5) statistical evaluation of results; and (6) preparation of technical reports. Students will be able to design analytical strategies for the determination of one or more analytes in samples of varying complexity, recognizing the possible occurrence of simultaneous chemical equilibria and selecting the most appropriate instrumental analytical techniques.
Students will also acquire the fundamental statistical concepts required for data processing in analytical chemistry and will become familiar with quality control procedures for analytical method validation. Furthermore, students will develop competencies in the operation and management of analytical instrumentation, including the requirements of quality management systems, certification and accreditation according to national and international standards, as well as the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Course contents

The course consists of three modules, combining lectures and computer-based practical sessions, covering the following topics. Students are expected to have a basic background in mathematics, general chemistry, and organic chemistry.

Module 1 (18 hours)

Analytical data processing, calibration, and method validation. Identification and treatment of errors in chemical analysis. Statistical tools for the evaluation of experimental data. Reporting and interpretation of analytical results. Calibration curves. Linear and nonlinear regression. Quantitative analysis using external calibration, internal calibration, and the standard addition method. Analytical method validation and quality performance parameters. Introduction to quality control.
Spectroscopic techniques. Absorption and emission processes of electromagnetic radiation. Atomic and molecular absorption and emission spectra. Spectrophotometry: the Lambert–Beer law, its limitations, and applications to quantitative analysis. Spectrofluorimetry: fluorescence, phosphorescence, and applications to quantitative analysis. Instrumental and methodological aspects of atomic and molecular spectroscopy. Selection of appropriate spectroscopic analytical methods.

Module 2 (10 hours of lectures + 10 hours of practical sessions)

Separation techniques and mass spectrometry. Principles of chromatography and separation parameters. Experimental and instrumental aspects of separation methods. Gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Instrumentation, principles, and applications of mass spectrometry. Selection of appropriate analytical methods.
Practical sessions. Use of software (e.g., Microsoft Excel®) for the processing, analysis, and interpretation of experimental data.

Module 3 (20 hours)

Titrimetric techniques. Preparation and standardization of titrant solutions. Metrological traceability and evaluation of measurement uncertainty. Acid–base, precipitation (argentometric), complexometric, and redox titrations. Chemical equilibria underlying titrimetric methods and interpretation of titration curves. Selection of suitable indicators and determination of the endpoint. Applications to process and quality control in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, environmental, and electroplating industries.
Potentiometry. Principles of potentiometric analysis. Reference and ion-selective electrodes. pH measurement. Potentiometric titrations. Automation of analytical measurements for monitoring and control of industrial processes.

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, together with additional teaching materials, including supplementary readings, problem sets discussed during lectures with their solutions, and multiple-choice self-assessment tests.

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).

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures with computer-based practical sessions conducted in the classroom. During the lectures, the theoretical foundations and core topics of the course are presented and discussed. The practical sessions provide students with the opportunity to apply the concepts acquired by processing, analyzing, and interpreting experimental data.

Assessment methods

Each module includes a final oral examination, for which students must register through AlmaEsami. The examinations may be taken in any order; however, in view of the sequence of topics covered, students are strongly advised to take the module 1 examination first. The oral examinations are designed to assess whether students have achieved the expected knowledge and skills. In particular, students will be evaluated on their knowledge of the procedures for processing and evaluating experimental data in quantitative chemical analysis and analytical method validation; their understanding of the fundamental principles and operating procedures of the main classical and instrumental analytical techniques; and their ability to identify the most appropriate analytical technique for addressing a given analytical problem. The oral examinations will be graded according to the following criteria.
30 - 30L/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.
27 - 29/30: good preparation on most course topics, good critical thinking skills, and use of appropriate scientific terminology.
23 - 26/30: preparation covering a substantial portion of the course topics, limited critical thinking skills, and use of scientific terminology that is not always accurate.
18 - 22/30: adequate preparation on a limited number of course topics, poor critical thinking skills, and inappropriate use of scientific terminology.
The final grade for the course will be calculated as the average of the grades obtained in the individual modules.

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. Exercises involving the processing and analysis of experimental data will be carried out using students' personal computers with software (e.g., Microsoft Excel®) made available through the University of Bologna. All teaching materials will be made available through the University of Bologna's “Virtuale” platform.

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Guardigli

See the website of