Instrumental Analysis

Course Coordinator: Dr Christie Ng, PhD

Course developer: Dr Cheuk-Nam Tsang, Consultant

This course covers the separation, detection, identification and quantification of matter based on its distinctive properties such as size, charge, hydrophobicity, electromagnetic wave absorption and emission, molecular vibration, and even exact mass. The course is divided into five units covering optical methods (Units 1 and 2), separation techniques (Unit 3), mass-selective identification methods (Unit 4) and their applications in an integrative approach (Unit 5). The principles of instrumental methods and testing strategies introduced in the course can have a wide range of applications in society, particularly in consumer testing services, environmental protection, food safety, pharmaceutical research, forensic investigation and more.

Advisory pre-requisites
SCIS121/SCIS124, CHEMS251 and CHEMS311

Aims
This course aims to:

• Explain various spectroscopic methods, separation strategies, and mass spectrometry-based techniques in the testing industry.
• Describe the basic experimental set up of instrumental analysis and the properties of the basic components of the instruments commonly used in chemical laboratories.
• Develop students' skills and enhance their working knowledge related to the general operation, calibration and maintenance of instruments.
• Identify the advantages and limitations of different instruments and inspire students to select the appropriate instrument and/or combined techniques for problem solving.
• Apply instrumental methods for the identification and quantification of substances which are of great concern in different sectors of society.

Contents
Topics to be covered in the course:

• Molecular spectroscopy
• Atomic spectroscopy
• Separation techniques
• Mass spectrometry
• Hyphenated techniques and case studies

Learning support
There are regular tutorials and surgeries with your tutors throughout the course.

Assessment
Two assignments are designed to assess your progress in the course. Both assignments count towards the overall continuous assignment score. There will be a three-hour final course examination at the end of the course. Students are required to submit assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Online support
This course is supported by the Online Learning Environment (OLE). You can find the latest course information on this platform. Through the OLE, you can communicate electronically with your tutor and the Course Coordinator as well as other students. To access the OLE, you will need to have access to the Internet.

Equipment
Students will need access to a personal computer or other electronic devices with an internet connection.

Set book(s)
There are no set books for this course.

Students with disabilities or special educational needs
Students with impaired vision may have particular difficulties but other students with disabilities or special educational needs should be able to cope with the essential parts of the course. When in doubt, device should be sought from the Course Coordinator.