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CHEM30110

Academic Year 2024/2025

Instrumental Analysis (CHEM30110)

Subject:
Chemistry
College:
Science
School:
Chemistry
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Declan Gilheany
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

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.

About this Module

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 Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Practical Skills Assessment: Five Laboratory assessments (on a two-week cycle) including laboratory practice, report, data and sample quality. Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes
30
 Yes
Exam (In-person): Two Hour End of Trimester Written Examination End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
60
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: One Mid-Trimester Quiz during a lecture. Week 5 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
5
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): One homework assignment near the end of the Trimester Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
5
 No

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
Mr Lee Yang Chieng Tutor
Dominik Duleba Tutor
Daniel Graczyk Tutor
Philip Jamieson Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Mon 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Wed 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 2 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 3 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 4 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 5 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 6 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 7 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 8 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 9 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 10 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 11 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 12 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 13 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 14 Week(s) - 5, 8, 11 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 15 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 16 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 17 Week(s) - 3, 6, 9 Tues 11:00 - 13:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 18 Week(s) - 4, 7, 10 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
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