INTRODUCTION TO ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Analytical Science
• The science that deals with the identification and quantification of the components of material systems.
• Analysis - process of determining the level of any or all components in a material system. It can be divided into
physical analysis and chemical analysis. The word for such a substance is analyte, and the word for the material in
which the analyte is found is called the matrix of the analyte.
• Assay - If a material is known by a particular name and an analysis is carried out to determine the level of that named
substance in the material, the analysis is called an assay for that named substance.
• Example:
Assay: Determination of concentration of aspirin in aspirin medicine.
Analysis: Determination of concentration of all the components present in aspirin medicine.

Analytical Chemistry
• Often described as the area of chemistry responsible for characterizing the composition of matter, both qualitatively
(what is present) and quantitatively (how much is present); Like all fields of chemistry, analytical chemistry is too broad
and active a discipline for us to easily or completely define in an introductory textbook. Instead, we will try to say a
little about what analytical chemistry is, as well as a little about what analytical chemistry is not
• Analytical chemists typically operate at the extreme edges of analysis, extending and improving the ability of all
chemists to make meaningful measurements on smaller samples, on more complex samples, on shorter time scales,
and on species present at lower concentrations.

Classification of Analysis:
1. Goal of Analysis
a. Quantitative Analysis
b. Qualitative Analysis
2. Nature of the method

Qualitative Analysis
• an analysis carried out to determine only the identity of a pure analyte.
• An analysis to determine what a material is or what the components of a mixture are.
• Does not report the amount of the substance.

1. Qualitative Tests - may be performed by selective chemical reactions or with the use of instrumentation. The
formation of a white precipitate when adding a solution of silver nitrate in dilute nitric acid to dissolved sample
indicated the presence of halide. Some chemical reactions produce specific colors to indicate the presence of the
sample of interest such as classes of organic compounds (ketones). Infrared spectra will give fingerprints of organic
compounds or their functional group.
2. Selective Reactions – a test that can occur with other substances but exhibits a degree of preference for the
substances of interest
3. Specific Reactions – test that occurs only with the substance of interest.
4. Selectivity – Strategies:
○ Sample preparation: extraction; precipitation
○ Instrumentation (selected detectors)
○ Target analyte (functional groups)
○ Chromatography (separates sample constituents)
 Quantitative Analysis
• The analysis of a material for how much of one or more components is present.
• An analysis is undertaken when the identity of the components is already known and when it is important to also
know the quantities of these components.
• The determination of the quantities of one or more components present per some quantity of the matrix.
• Measures the exact amount of substance of interest

3 Phases of Quantitative Tests

1. Fast screening phase – rapid test that indicates the absence of a sample of interest.
2. Identification phase
3. Quantification phase – techniques include: immunoassays; gas chromatography; mass-spectrometry; liquid
chromatography

Analysis Procedures
1. Physical Properties Analysis – involves no chemical reactions and at times relatively simple devices. (Ex. Refractive
Index, Specific gravity)
2. Wet Chemical Analysis – usually involves chemical reactions. Wet chemical analysis techniques are classical
techniques, meaning they have been in use in the analytical laboratory for many years, before electronic devices
came on the scene. If executed properly, they have a high degree of inherent accuracy and precision, but they take
more time to execute. (manual)
3. Instrumental Analysis – are high-tech techniques, often utilizing the ultimate in complex hardware and software.
While sometimes not as precise as a carefully executed wet chemical method, instrumental analysis methods are
fast and can offer a much greater scope and practicality to the analysis.

Purpose of Analytical Chemistry

◦ In medicine, analytical chemistry is the basis for clinical laboratory test which helps the physician diagnose disease
and chart progress of patients’ recovery.
◦ In industry, analytical chemistry provides the means of testing raw materials and for assuring the quality of finished
products whose chemical composition is critical. Many household products such as fuel, paints, pharmaceuticals are
analyzed by the procedures developed by analytical chemists before being sold in the market
◦ Environmental quality is often evaluated by testing for suspected contaminants using the techniques of analytical
chemistry
◦ The nutritional value of food and carbohydrates by chemical analysis for major components such as vitamins and
minerals. Indeed, even the calories in food are often calculated from its chemical analysis
◦ Analytical chemistry also makes an important contribution in the field of diverse forensics, archaeology and space
science.

Professions that involve analytical chemistry:

➔ Pollution Control Officer
➔ Registered Medical Technologist
➔ Pharmacist
➔ Chemist
➔ Food technologist

Analytical Perspective
Five-Step Process of Analytical Perspective:
1. Identify and define the problem.
2. Design the experimental procedure.
3. Conduct an experiment, and gather data.
4. Analyze the experimental data.
5. Propose a solution to the problem.
❖ An analysis involves several steps and operations which depend on:
o The particular problem
o Your expertise
o The apparatus or equipment available

❖ The analyst should be involved in every step.

Common Analytical Problems
Many problems in analytical chemistry begin with the need to identify what is present in a sample.

Most Common Types of Problem Encountered in the Analytical Lab

1. Quantitative Analysis – analysis in which we determine how much of a constituent species is present in a sample.
2. Characterization Analysis – An analysis in which we evaluate a sample’s chemical or physical properties.
3. Fundamental Analysis – An analysis whose purpose is to improve an analytical method’s capabilities