CHEM30110 Instrumental Analysis

Academic Year 2022/2023

Most people who follow a scientific career will use instruments at some time to make measurements of various physical and chemical properties. Even those who follow a non-scientific career will often need to interpret data and assess its quality and if it was recorded in a sensible way using the right instrument. This course is designed to introduce the operating principles of instrumental analysis. There is also a significant focus on HPLC, which is the major technique used in pharmaceutical analysis.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1 Knowledge and understanding of what actually happens inside an instrument when you insert a sample and press the button;2 Ability to interpret the printout from an instrument;3 How to choose the correct instrument for your analysis.4 How to carry out a series of analytical laboratory procedures safely.

Indicative Module Content:

Part 1: Concepts in spectroscopy: general light and matter interactions, ground and excited states, absorption and emission of electromagnetic radiation in gas and solution phase, with a focus on ultra-violet to visible absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy.
Analytical Techniques: instrument configuration, sources, sample considerations, detectors and limit of detection.
Data analysis: calibration curves, experimental uncertainty and confidence intervals.

Part 2: Chromatography: separation theory and mechanisms, instrument layout, mobile and stationary phases, elution and chromatogram analysis with a focus on gas (GC) and liquid (LC) chromatography.
Capillary electrophoresis and combustion analysis are also covered.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Laboratories

30
Autonomous Student Learning

60
Total

114
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The key approaches to teaching and learning are through the delivery of lectures, completion of tutorials and laboratories 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

This module is intended for students in the third or fourth year of an Honours Chemistry degree program or post graduate students in a Chemical discipline. However students from other disciplines could benefit from the course if they expect to encouter the instruments covered (e.g. HPLC). For such students, it would be advisable to have at least some prior knowledge of chemistry at Univerity Level. If in doubt consult the Module Co-ordinator.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: various Varies over the Trimester n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

10
Examination: Written Examination 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

60
Lab Report: Laboratory assessment including laboratory practice, report, data and sample quality Varies over the Trimester n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes

30

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Harris, Quantitative Chemical Analysis
Name Role
Professor Susan Quinn Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Maria Byrne Tutor
Dominik Duleba Tutor
Aoibheann O'Connor Tutor
Ms Kristy Stanley Tutor