James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

CH3013:03

Instrumental Analytical Techniques

Townsville HECS Band 2

32 hours lectures, 4 hours tutorials, 36 hours practicals. Semester 1.

Staff: Dr M Ridd, Dr B McCool, Assoc. Professor G Meehan.

Principles of quality Assurance and Quality Control, including statistical treatment of instrumental data. Radiochemical techniques – instrumentation, neutron activation analysis. Electroanalytical techniques used in trace-analysis, theoretical basis of a range of voltammetric techniques. Mass spectrometry in organic structure elucidation, compound identification and trace metal analysis. X-ray fluorescence and diffraction. Atomic spectroscopy including GFAA, ICP-MS and ICP-ES. Separation techniques – HPLC and GC. Automated techniques – flow injection analysis. Safety and risk assessment.

Learning Objectives:

  1. to extend the students’ awareness of the range of techniques available to the chemist for both the qualitative and quantitative analysis of materials encountered in industrial, academic and government laboratories;
  2. to provide a suitable background in analytical techniques for students wishing to continue with further study in chemistry or wishing to pursue a career in industry or government laboratories;
  3. to give students an insight into the principles of operation of the analytical instruments found in research and industrial laboratories;
  4. to provide knowledge of the application of a range of techniques to the analysis of the constituents of chemical systems ranging from single component systems through to complex chemical matrices;
  5. to enable students to choose the most appropriate technique for obtaining the desired analytical information about the system under study;
  6. to provide students with the skills required to understand the concepts and practices relating to QA and QC in modern laboratories.

Assessment by a three-hour examination at the end of semester (70%); practical reports and performance in the laboratory (30%).