Instrumental Methods of Analysis

6 ECTS / Semester / Português

Objectives and competences

Provide fundamentals of some instrumental methods of analysis: molecular absorption spectrophotometry, absorption and atomic emission spectrophotometry; chromatography, potentiometry and conductimetry.
Understand the concepts and operation of the equipment corresponding to the instrumental methods in question.
Calculate concentrations of chemical parameters in different types of samples, and expressed in different units.
Interpret the results obtained and assess whether they are credible. Estimate precision, accuracy, sensitivity and detection limit.
Prepare a report of an instrumental chemical analysis.
In view of the analytical problem that is faced, select the most appropriate methodology to solve the problem in question.
Handle analytical instrumentation scientifically correct, expeditiously, and safely.

 

Teaching Methodologies

Lectures common to all groups, with great interaction with students, accompanied by theoretical-practical classes for solving application problems, carried out in class, usually with a number of students less than 20.

Laboratory classes (#10 assignments), involving the manipulation of instrumental methods discussed in theoretical classes, followed by an evaluation laboratory class.

 

Syllabus

Program of Lectures

  1. Introduction to instrumental methods of analysis
  2. Electromagnetic radiation and its interaction with matter
  3. Absorption spectrophotometry
  4. Molecular absorption spectrophotometry (UV/Vis)
  5. Atomic absorption and emission spectrophotometry
  6. Chromatography; gas chromatography; liquid phase chromatography
  7. Potentiometry
  8. Conductimetry

Program of Theoretical-Practical and Laboratory Classes

Exercises involving electromagnetic radiation, quantitative aspects of Beer's law, sketch of titration curves using inert, active and ion selective (ESI) electrodes, direct potentiometry, quantitative methods in chromatography, conductometric measurements.

Practical work (#10)
Spectrophotometric measurements: quantitative (calibration curves using color development reactions), spectrophotometric titrations, and qualitative (tracing of absorption spectra). Potentiometric measurements (study of an ESI, determinations by the calibration curve method and by potentiometric titration). Atomic absorption and emission spectrometry. Conductometric measurements. Chromatographic methods.

Faculty

Full Professor
PhD in Biotechnology (special in Chemistry) from the Portuguese Catholic University. Degree in Chemistry from the University of Porto. António Rangel is a…
Invited Assistant Professor
Antonio Ferreira received his Ph.D. in Biological and Medical Sciences, from University Victor Segalen of Bordeaux2. Since then, he has been a researcher at…
Researcher
PhD in Biotechnology (Chemistry specialisation) by Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Raquel Mesquita graduated in Microbiology from Universidade Católica…
Researcher
Tânia Ribas Vaz Pedro has a PhD in Biotechnology and a degree in Microbiology from Escola superior de Biotecnologia of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa…