00090 - Analytical Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the student with: - the basic knowledge of Analytical Chemistry required to understand the principles of the most common quantitative analytical techniques, including both classic and instrumental methods; - the ability to select the most suitable analytical technique to solve a given analytical problem; - the ability to develop and optimize all the steps of an analytical procedure; - the ability to evaluate the performance of an analytical procedure and to assess the quality of an analytical result; - the ability to properly describe and comment an analytical procedure and correctly report an analytical result; - the ability to increase and update his knowledge through books, scientific publications and databases.

Course contents

Room lectures (6 CFU, 48 hours)

- Treatment of experimental data (6 hours). Errors in experimental measurements; applications of statistics to the representation and interpretation of experimental data; tests of significance; significant digits; propagation of errors.

- Equilibria in solution (3 hours). Systematic approach to equilibrium problems; mass balance and charge balance equations; ion activity and concentration; activity coefficient; Debye-Huckel equation.

- Gravimetric analysis (3 hours). Solubility and solubility product; factors influencing solubility: common ion effect, complexation equilibria, pH; precipitates and their characteristics; gravimetric analysis procedure: precipitation, digestion, washing, drying and ignition; separation by precipitation; calculus for gravimetric analysis.

- Titrations (3 hours). Titration curves; final and equivalence points; indicators and instrumental techniques for the determination of the equivalence point; calculus for titration analyses.

- Precipitation titrations (3 hours). Construction and characteristics of titration curves.

- Acid-base titrations (6 hours). Acids and bases; pH calculation: strong and weak acids and bases, buffers, amphiprotic species, polyprotic acids and bases; construction and characteristics of titration curves of monoprotic and polyprotic acids and bases.

- Complexometric titrations (4 hours). Complexation reactions; EDTA; formation constant and conditional formation constant; construction and characteristics of titration curves.

- Quantitative analysis, calibration, and validation (5 hours). Construction of a calibration curve; linear, linearized, and non-linear calibration curves; principles of linear and non-linear regression; quality of a calibration curve; calibration methods: external calibration, internal calibration, calibration with standard addition; validation and characteristics of an analytical method: accuracy, precision, selectivity, linear and dynamic interval, LOD, LOQ, robustness.

- Electrochemical analytical methods (3 hours). Electrochemical cells and potentiometry; electrode potentials and junction potentials; reference and indicator electrodes; ion-selective electrodes, glass electrode: characteristics and use; other ion-selective electrodes, cells for gas measurement.

- Spectroscopic analytical methods (5 hours). Electromagnetic spectrum and radiation/matter interaction; light absorption; Beer-Lambert law and limits of validity; spectrophotometric error; analysis of mixtures; instrumentation for absorption measurements; light emission; fluorescence and phosphorescence; excitation and emission spectra; quantitative analysis; instrumentation for emission measurements; calculus applied to spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric analysis

- Chromatographic analytical methods (7 hours). Classification of chromatographic methods; theoretical aspects of chromatography; development and optimization of a chromatographic method; planar chromatography; gaschromatography (GC): principles and separation mechanisms, columns and stationary phases, instrumentation and detectors, applications; liquid chromatography (HPLC): principles and separation mechanisms, columns and stationary phases, instrumentation and detectors, applications.

Practical exercises (1 CFU, 15 hours)

Practical exercises on procedures for the analysis and interpretation of experimental data, calculus on chemical equilibria (e.g., construction of titration curves) and quantitative analysis procedures, construction of models to deepen knowledge of the theoretical topics covered in the course.

Readings/Bibliography

PowerPoint slides of lectures and supplementary material will be available on “Virtuale” (https://virtuale.unibo.it, access with credentials reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna).

Suggested textbooks
- J.F. Holler, S.R. Crouch. Fondamenti di chimica analitica, 3° Ed. (EdiSES, 2015).
- D.C. Harris. Chimica analitica quantitativa, 3° Ed. (Zanichelli, 2017).
- 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).

Teaching methods

The course is organized in room lectures (supported by PowerPoint presentations) and practical exercises. During room lectures the course topics will be presented and discussed, and simple numerical exercises carried out to illustrate the theoretical concepts covered in the course, while the practical exercises will allow to deepen the knowledge of the theoretical topics addressed in the course and to apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis and interpretation of experimental data.

Assessment methods

Verification of knowledge on the whole program by means of the following tests.
- Written numerical exercise consisting in the construction of a titration curve (passing this test is required to be admitted to the oral exam).
- Oral exam on the topics covered during the course, aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge and expected skills. In particular, the knowledge of procedures for processing and evaluating experimental data for quantitative analysis, the understanding of the basic principles and procedures of the main classical and instrumental analytical techniques, and the ability to select the most suitable technique for solving a given analytical problem will be evaluated. The evaluation will be based on the demonstration of the critical understanding of the topics and the ability to discuss them.

Teaching tools

Video projector for room lectures. Some practical exercises will be done on students’ personal PCs using software available for students at the University of Bologna (e.g., Microsoft Excel). The teaching material will be available in electronic format on “Virtuale” (https://virtuale.unibo.it, access with credentials reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna).

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Guardigli