Analytical Chemist Course

Lesson 1 • Measurement and Units in Chemistry

Introduces SI units, concentration expressions, and unit conversions. Provides the numerical language required for all quantitative analytical work.

Lesson 2 • Significant Figures and Data Reporting

Teaches rules for significant figures, rounding, and scientific notation. Builds habits for accurate and reproducible data communication.

Lesson 3 • The Analytical Chemistry Discipline

Defines analytical chemistry's scope, subdivisions, and role in industry and research. Contextualises all subsequent techniques within real-world applications.

Lesson 4 • Laboratory Safety and Regulations

Covers hazard identification, personal protective equipment, and waste disposal standards. Ensures safe practice before any hands-on laboratory work begins.

Lesson 1 • Accuracy, Precision, and Bias

Defines and quantifies accuracy, precision, and bias using standard metrics. Connects these concepts to method suitability and result reliability.

Lesson 2 • Outlier Detection and Data Rejection

Presents Grubbs, Dixon Q, and other outlier tests for analytical data. Teaches defensible criteria for retaining or rejecting suspect measurements.

Lesson 3 • Types of Analytical Errors

Distinguishes systematic, random, and gross errors and their sources. Frames all subsequent statistical tools as responses to specific error types.

Lesson 4 • Calibration and Regression Analysis

Builds linear and nonlinear calibration models and evaluates their fit. Directly supports quantitative instrumental methods introduced in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Acid-Base Titrations

Covers strong and weak acid-base systems, indicators, and equivalence point detection. Provides the most widely used titrimetric technique in analytical practice.

Lesson 2 • Gravimetric Analysis

Teaches precipitation, filtration, ignition, and mass-based quantification. Provides a reference method for validating instrumental techniques introduced later.

Lesson 3 • Complexometric and EDTA Titrations

Introduces metal-ligand equilibria and EDTA as a chelating titrant. Enables determination of water hardness and metal ion concentrations in samples.

Lesson 4 • Redox and Precipitation Titrations

Applies oxidation-reduction and precipitation reactions to quantitative analysis. Expands the range of analytes addressable by classical titrimetric methods.

Lesson 1 • Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Teaches flame and graphite furnace AAS for trace metal quantification. Addresses interferences and matrix effects critical to accurate elemental analysis.

Lesson 2 • Atomic Emission and Fluorescence Methods

Covers ICP-OES, flame emission, and molecular fluorescence for multi-element and trace analysis. Extends elemental and molecular detection capabilities beyond AAS.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Electromagnetic Radiation

Covers the electromagnetic spectrum, wave-particle duality, and energy-wavelength relationships. Provides the physical foundation for all spectroscopic techniques in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • UV-Visible Spectrophotometry

Explains instrument components, chromophores, and quantitative absorbance measurements. Directly applies Beer-Lambert law to concentration determination in solution.

Lesson 1 • High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Teaches HPLC system components, reversed-phase and normal-phase modes, and gradient elution. Addresses non-volatile and thermally labile analytes not suited to GC.

Lesson 2 • Ion Chromatography and Thin-Layer Chromatography

Covers ion-exchange separation of anions and cations and TLC for rapid screening. Broadens the range of ionic and polar analytes addressable by chromatographic methods.

Lesson 3 • Chromatographic Method Validation

Applies validation parameters—linearity, LOD, LOQ, robustness—to chromatographic methods. Connects method development to regulatory and quality assurance requirements.

Lesson 4 • Chromatography Theory and Fundamentals

Introduces retention, selectivity, efficiency, and the van Deemter equation. Provides the theoretical framework for optimising any chromatographic separation.

Lesson 1 • GC-MS Method Development

Integrates GC separation with MS detection for volatile compound identification and quantification. Applies scan, SIM, and library search strategies to real analytical problems.

Lesson 2 • Ionisation Techniques

Compares EI, ESI, APCI, MALDI, and other ionisation sources by analyte suitability. Guides selection of the appropriate ionisation mode for a given sample matrix.

Lesson 3 • Mass Analysers and Detectors

Covers quadrupole, ion trap, TOF, and Orbitrap analysers and their performance metrics. Enables informed instrument selection based on resolution, mass range, and speed needs.

Lesson 4 • LC-MS and Tandem MS Applications

Covers LC-MS/MS acquisition modes, MRM quantification, and data-dependent acquisition. Enables high-sensitivity targeted and untargeted analysis of complex matrices.

Lesson 1 • Sampling Strategy and Sample Integrity

Covers representative sampling, chain of custody, and storage conditions. Ensures that sample preparation begins with a representative, uncontaminated specimen.

Lesson 2 • Filtration, Centrifugation, and Cleanup

Covers membrane filtration, centrifugation, protein precipitation, and dilute-and-shoot approaches. Finalises sample preparation by removing particulates and matrix components.

Lesson 3 • Liquid-Liquid and Solid-Phase Extraction

Explains partition coefficients, solvent selection, and SPE sorbent chemistry. Provides the most widely used cleanup and preconcentration tools in analytical labs.

Lesson 4 • Headspace and Purge-and-Trap Methods

Introduces static and dynamic headspace techniques for volatile analyte isolation. Complements GC-based methods by eliminating matrix interferences from complex samples.

Lesson 1 • Good Laboratory Practice and Documentation

Covers GLP principles, laboratory notebooks, SOPs, and data integrity requirements. Ensures all analytical work is traceable, reproducible, and audit-ready.

Lesson 2 • Quality Control Samples and Reference Materials

Covers certified reference materials, QC sample preparation, and control chart construction. Provides ongoing monitoring tools to detect method drift and bias.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Method Validation

Defines validation parameters: specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD, LOQ, and robustness. Establishes the regulatory and scientific rationale for each parameter.

Lesson 4 • Measurement Uncertainty Estimation

Applies GUM-based approaches to identify and combine uncertainty sources. Produces defensible uncertainty statements required for accredited laboratory reporting.