Analytical chemistry (for Biological chemistry)

Students will get acquainted with the current state of quantitative observation; generation of analytical signal; analytical processes, principles, procedures and techniques and their classification; solving identification problems; and characterization and quantification of chemical substances in science and technology. Students will also get acquainted with the possibility of detecting and finding solutions to materials research, production and social practice using chemical analysis as a tool of analytical chemistry. Students will also get acquainted with instrumental experimental work in the laboratory.

Subject information sheet

Syllabus

Definition, subject of interest and resources of analytical chemistry.
Relationship between analytical chemistry and chemical analysis. Analytical method (classification). Analytical principle. Sampling.
Measurement (qualitative and quantitative analysis). Analytical signal and its properties. Calibration. Statistical evaluation of data (measurement errors).
Simple sample preparation procedures. Decomposition of inorganic and organic samples, extraction.
Chemical methods of analysis (qualitative, quantitative). Evidence of chemical reactions and tests, gravimetric analysis, volumetric analysis. Titration curves. Principles of neutralization, precipitation, redox and complexometric titrations.
Chemical equilibria (acid-base, complex-forming, precipitating, redox).
Electroanalytical methods. Basic scheme of electrochemical cell. Classification of electroanalytical methods. Equilibrium potentiometry (reference and indicator electrodes, direct potentiometry and potentiometric titrations, ion-selective electrodes as a selectivity coefficient). Principle and use of linear and cyclic voltammetry, coulometry and conductometry.
Optical analytical methods. Properties of electromagnetic radiation. History and classification of optical methods. Basic instrumentation of optical analytical methods. Atomic spectrometry. Atomic spectrometry techniques.
Molecular spectrometry. Molecular spectrometry techniques – absorption UV-VIS spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry, infrared and Raman spectrometry. Non-spectral optical methods. Reflectometry, interferometry, polarimetry, turbidimetry and nephelometry.
Mass spectrometry. Basic principles. Basic scheme of equipment. Measurement conditions. Instrumentation in mass spectrometry. Basic types of ionization techniques and ion sources.
Separation techniques, their function and importance in analytical procedures. Classification of separation principles and methods. Precipitation and filtration. Separation of volatile substances by distillation. Isolation and separation of substances by extraction. Ion-exchange. Chromatographic separation. Classification of chromatographic methods. Gas chromatography – principles and instrumentation. High-performance liquid chromatography – principle and instrumentation. Electroseparation methods. Capillary electrophoresis vs planar techniques. Instrumentation. Basic principles of electrophoretic methods: zone electrophoresis, isotachophoresis, isoelectric focusing.
Automation in analytical laboratories. The application of combined analytical methods to solve selected analytical problems.

Course evaluation

Lecture – a maximum of 50 points, for the final test.
Practicals – a maximum of 50 points
- theoretical preparation for practicals and active participation in practicals (5 points),
- lab reports from practicals (35 points)
- final test from practicals (10 points).
- In case of late submission of lab reports, the maximum number of points for the lab report will be reduced by 25% (late submission by 8-14 days), by 50% (late submission by 15-21 days), by 75% (late submission by more than 21 days).

The final grade will consist of evaluation of the final test from lecture and practicals.

Overall Course Evaluation

92 - 100%	A
84 - 91%	B
76 - 83%	C
68 - 75%	D
60 - 67%	E
0 - 59%	FX

Laboratory practicals

Chemical reactions in quantitative analysis (Introduction for practicals 1 and 2)
Practical 1 Determination of calcium and magnesium in water
Practical 2 Determination of acetic acid in fermented spirit vinegar
Acid-base balances and pH of electrolytes (Introduction for practical 3)
Practical 3 Determination of pH of electrolytes by equilibrium potentiometry and preparation of solutions with different pH values
Optical methods (Introduction for practicals 4-6)
Practical 4 Determination of calcium and sodium in mineral waters by emission flame photometry
Practical 5 Identification and quantification of synthetic dyes by molecular absorption spectrometry
Practical 6 Spectrophotometric determination of copper in the water
Chromatographic methods (Introduction for practicals 7 and 8)
Practical 7 Determination of methanol in alcolohic beverages by gas chromatography
Practical 8 Separation of water-soluble dyes by paper chromatography
Electroseparation methods (Introduction for practical 9)
Practical 9 Isotachophoretic determination of glutamate in food

Conditions for Completing Practical Exercises

The student is required to participate in educational activities to the extent determined by the instructor.

If a student comes to the exercise unprepared (fails to achieve at least 50% on the preparation quiz) or behaves inappropriately during the exercise, violates safety regulations, and thereby endangers their own health or the health of others, the instructor may exclude the student from the exercise without the right to make up the missed task.
Completion of laboratory exercises includes the following: preparation for the exercise, execution of the experimental part, and submission of a report for each completed exercise.
In case of absence from exercises, the student must provide justification for their absence; otherwise, the instructor is not obliged to grant a grade.
If the student misses an exercise and the instructor accepts the reason as justified, the completion of the missed task or the recovery of points lost due to absence will be arranged individually, based on the circumstances and a written agreement between the student and the instructor.
Students are entitled to one substitute session (usually in the 13th week of the semester) during which they may make up missed exercises (except in cases mentioned in the second point).
Before attending an exercise, the student must report any circumstance that could endanger the safety and health of people in the laboratory or cause material damage.
If certain exercises are cancelled due to public holidays or dean’s/rector’s days off, the student’s percentage success in quizzes and reports will be calculated based on the reduced number of exercises.

Any other issues will be resolved in accordance with the Study Regulations of Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, as published on the faculty’s website.