Chemical Laboratory Technician Course

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Compliance Fundamentals

Introduces occupational exposure limits, right-to-know regulations, and inspection readiness. Students understand how compliance obligations shape daily lab operations.

Lesson 2 • Safety Data Sheets and Labels

Teaches the 16-section SDS format and container labeling requirements. Students extract critical safety information quickly under realistic lab conditions.

Lesson 3 • Hazard Identification and Classification

Covers GHS hazard categories, pictograms, and signal words for chemicals. Connects to all downstream handling procedures by building a shared hazard language.

Lesson 4 • Personal Protective Equipment Selection

Defines PPE categories and selection criteria based on chemical hazard level. Proper PPE use underpins every hands-on procedure in subsequent chapters.

Lesson 1 • Laboratory Waste Segregation and Disposal

Teaches waste stream classification, container labeling, and accumulation area rules. Compliant disposal protects workers, the public, and the environment.

Lesson 2 • Flammable and Corrosive Chemical Handling

Addresses safe transfer, dispensing, and use of flammable solvents and corrosive acids and bases. Techniques minimize ignition risk and skin or eye contact hazards.

Lesson 3 • Chemical Compatibility and Segregation

Explains incompatible chemical pairs, segregation rules, and storage group assignments. Proper segregation prevents dangerous reactions from accidental contact.

Lesson 4 • Chemical Receiving and Inventory Control

Covers inspection of incoming chemicals, SDS verification, and inventory logging. Accurate inventory is the first line of defense against storage and compliance failures.

Lesson 1 • Common Glassware Identification and Use

Introduces beakers, flasks, graduated cylinders, and pipettes with their appropriate applications. Correct selection prevents measurement error and cross-contamination.

Lesson 2 • Heating and Temperature Control Equipment

Explains hot plates, ovens, water baths, and reflux setups for controlled heating. Students match heating method to chemical and procedural requirements.

Lesson 3 • Glassware Cleaning and Inspection

Covers cleaning agents, rinsing sequences, and drying methods for lab glassware. Residue-free glassware is essential for accurate analytical results.

Lesson 4 • Balances and Weighing Techniques

Teaches analytical and top-loading balance operation, calibration, and error sources. Accurate mass measurement is foundational to all quantitative lab work.

Lesson 1 • Measurement Uncertainty and Error Analysis

Introduces systematic vs. random error, precision, accuracy, and basic uncertainty propagation. Students evaluate data quality and identify sources of analytical error.

Lesson 2 • Concentration Expressions and Calculations

Teaches molarity, normality, percent composition, and parts-per-million calculations. These expressions are used daily in solution preparation and analytical reporting.

Lesson 3 • Solution Preparation and Dilution

Covers gravimetric and volumetric solution preparation, serial dilutions, and dilution equations. Accurate solutions are prerequisites for reliable analytical measurements.

Lesson 4 • Significant Figures and Rounding

Establishes rules for significant figures in measurements and arithmetic operations. Proper rounding reflects true instrument precision in reported results.

Lesson 1 • Burette Technique and Endpoint Detection

Teaches burette filling, air bubble removal, reading, and endpoint color recognition. Precise burette technique directly determines titration accuracy.

Lesson 2 • Acid-Base Chemistry Fundamentals

Reviews pH, pOH, strong and weak acid-base equilibria, and buffer systems. This theoretical base is required before performing any titration procedure.

Lesson 3 • Redox and Complexometric Titrations

Introduces permanganate, dichromate, and EDTA titration methods for metals and oxidants. Expands the technician's analytical toolkit beyond acid-base methods.

Lesson 4 • Titration Data Calculation and Reporting

Applies stoichiometry to calculate analyte concentration from titration volume data. Students produce compliant lab reports with uncertainty estimates.

Lesson 1 • Acid Digestion and Dissolution Techniques

Teaches open-vessel and microwave-assisted acid digestion for solid and complex matrix samples. Complete dissolution is required for accurate elemental analysis by AAS or ICP.

Lesson 2 • Filtration, Centrifugation, and Evaporation

Covers membrane filtration, centrifugal clarification, and rotary evaporation for sample cleanup and concentration. These steps remove particulates and concentrate dilute analytes.

Lesson 3 • Sample Collection and Preservation

Covers container selection, preservation reagents, holding times, and chain-of-custody documentation. Proper collection prevents analyte loss before analysis begins.

Lesson 4 • Method Validation Parameters

Introduces linearity, detection limits, recovery, precision, and selectivity as validation criteria. Students verify that a method is fit for its intended analytical purpose.

Lesson 1 • pH Meters and Electrochemical Instruments

Covers pH electrode calibration, ion-selective electrodes, and conductivity measurement. Electrochemical instruments provide rapid in-solution measurements across many applications.

Lesson 2 • Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Explains flame and graphite furnace AAS for trace metal determination in samples. Students prepare standards, optimize flame conditions, and report metal concentrations.

Lesson 3 • UV-Vis Spectrophotometry

Covers Beer-Lambert law, wavelength selection, and absorbance measurement for quantitative analysis. UV-Vis is the most widely used instrument in routine chemical labs.

Lesson 4 • Gas and Liquid Chromatography Basics

Introduces GC and HPLC principles, column types, and detector options for separation analysis. Chromatographic methods are essential for organic compound identification and quantification.

Lesson 1 • Standard Operating Procedure Writing

Covers SOP format, version control, approval workflows, and periodic review requirements. Well-written SOPs ensure consistent, reproducible execution of all lab procedures.

Lesson 2 • Quality Control Samples and Control Charts

Teaches use of blanks, duplicates, spikes, and reference materials as QC samples. Control charts visualize process stability and trigger corrective action when needed.

Lesson 3 • Nonconformance and Corrective Action

Covers out-of-specification result handling, root cause analysis, and corrective action documentation. Systematic nonconformance management prevents recurring analytical failures.

Lesson 4 • Laboratory Notebook and Data Recording

Establishes raw data recording rules, error correction methods, and electronic record requirements. Accurate notebooks provide the legal and scientific basis for all reported results.