Analytical Techniques

Analytical Techniques are used to identify and quantify chemical species in a sample. Here are some of the most common analytical techniques used in Analytical Chemistry:

• Spectroscopy
• Chromatography
• Mass Spectrometry
• Electroanalytical Techniques
• Titration
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
• X-Ray Spectroscopy

Let’s discuss these techniques in detail as follows:

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy determines the interaction of matter with electromagnetic radiation. There are different types of spectroscopy that are used to identify and quantify different types of compounds such as heavy metals, pesticides and more.

Chromatography

Chromatography determines the separation and analyzing of mixtures of substances into their individual components. It is widely used in separating the environmental contaminants. Common areas where chromatography is used are pharmaceutical industry, forensic science, food and beverage industry and more.

Read more about Chromatography.

Mass Spectrometry

Mass Spectrometry is a powerful technique that is used to identify and quantify wide range of chemical species. It is widely used with chromatography technique to separate and identify chemical compounds based on their mass-to charge ratio.

Electroanalytical Techniques

Electroanalytical Techniques are a class of analytical techniques based on the interactions between electrical fields and chemical matter. This technique analyzes wide range of samples including solids, liquids, and gases.

Titration

Titration is a quantitative analytical method used to determine the concentration of an analyte by reacting it with a solution of known concentration (the titrant).

There are two types of Titration i.e.,

• Acid-based Titration: These techniques determines the concentration of acids and bases.
• Precipitation Titration: These techniques determines the concentration of ions in solution.

Learn more about Titration.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance is a powerful analytical spectroscopy technique. It studies the structure, composition, and properties of organic compounds, inorganic compounds and biomolecules. This technique utilizes the interaction between the magnetic field and specific atomic nuclei when exposed to radiofrequency radiation.

X-Ray Spectroscopy

X-ray Spectroscopy is one of the analytical techniques used to study the interaction between x-rays and matter especially for the atomic and molecular levels. It interacts with matter in variety of ways including absorption, emission, and scattering of a sample. 

Analytical Chemists and other professionals are often looking for the answers to questions such as what are molecules? or how concentrated the solutions are? The answers to such questions are provided by the techniques and methods used in Analytical Chemistry. Analytical Chemistry is the branch of Chemistry which deals with the identification and quantification of substances and their properties. Analytical Chemistry plays a crucial role in the various scientific fields and industries as it provides methods and tools to analyze and measure the composition of matter.

This article will help you learn about the science of finding properties and compositions of matter, namely Analytical Chemistry. In addition to that, we will also explore various sub-branches within this field of study, which focus on specific matters such as food or biomolecules. Let’s delve into the world of analysis with this article on “Analytical Chemistry”.