ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY - MOD.2

Educational context of the course and training objectives

The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory -ACL- course (CT0334), is one of the basic training activities of the degree course in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies (CTS), and allows students to start the practice of Analytical Chemistry, i.e. the qualitative and quantitative determination of inorganic chemical species in a sample.

The educational objectives of the course are,
1) to illustrate the main practical applications of inorganic analytical chemistry, previously discussed in the theoretical module of the course, particularly gravimetric and volumetric analysis;
2) to teach the basic methods necessary both for a good-laboratory practice and for obtaining accurate results from analytical methods;
3) to develop and empower manual skills and autonomy in dealing with laboratory experiences, both individually and in groups, in compliance with safety standards;
4) to develop and empower the ability to critically evaluate the results obtained in the laboratory using the statistical methods described in the theory module.

Expected learning outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding
For the success of the ACL course is important to know and understand concepts and topics as,
i. mole and concentration;
ii. experimental error;
iii. dilution;
iv. standard solution, titrant, indicator;
v. acid-base balance;
vi. strong and weak acid, strong and weak base;
vii. pH meter and conductimetric tritation;
viii. redox equilibria;
ix. complexometry;
x. acidimetry.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
i. to be able to quantify by titration the analyte contained in an unknown-sample;
ii. to know how to perform calculations to obtain the moles amount or concentration of an unknown sample.

3. Ability to assess obtained results
i. to be able to evaluate the results obtained on the basis of the evaluation criteria learned in the theoretical module;
ii. to identify possible procedural errors.

4. Communication skills
i. to know how to interact with the group-mate to check all the steps necessary for the preparation and development of the laboratory experience;
ii. to discuss the results obtained with the group-mate;
iii. to establish a good communication with the professor with the aim to have a continuous feedback during the Lab experience;
iv. to communicate the concepts learned during the lab experience with a proper scientific language.

5. Learning ability
i. to be able to organize notes, concepts and examples in useful schemes for learning;
ii. to revise books and notes in order to construct and wide the own knowledge for each course-topic.

Requirements

- Good knowledge of General Chemistry topics.
- Attendance of lessons of the Analytical Chemistry theory module.

Contents of the program

- Separation and qualitative analysis.
- Gravimetric analysis and volumetric equipment.
- Acid-base titrations: Standardization of a NaOH solution with KHFt;
- Titration of a strong acid with a strong base;
- Titration of a weak acid with a strong base;
- pHmetrical titration of carbonates;
- Conductimetric titration of HCl with NaOH.
- Determination of the drinking water hardness.
- Determination of dissolved oxygen in sea water.
- Acidimetric titrations, acidity of milk and vinegar
- Precipitation titration

One of the following books can be used as a reference-book for the study of Analytical Chemistry, as well as for the study of the practical experiences approached during the ACL course. In every case, professors strongly recommend the use of several books to the deepening of the topics of the program. The purpose of this approach is to obtain a good knowledge of analytical chemistry.

- D.C. Harris. Chimica analitica quantitativa. Zanichelli, Bologna, 1991.
- V. Di Marco, P. Pastore, G.G. Bombi. Chimica Analitica. Edises, Napoli, 2015.
- Skoog West Holler. Fondamenti di Chimica Analitica. EdiSES, Napoli, 1999.
- D.S. Hage -J. D. Carr. Chimica Analitica e Analisi Quantitativa. Piccin, 2012.

Integrative readings
- J.N. Butler. Equilibri ionici. Elementi per una trattazione matematica. Società Editrice Universo, Roma, 1969 o edizioni recenti (controllare in biblioteca - BAS).
- Acid-base diagrams / Hieke Kahlert, Fritz Scholz .
- E. Desimoni e B. Brunetti. L'elaborazione dei dati nel laboratorio di analisi chimiche. Clueb, 2010.

Modality of learning verification

Laboratory exercises take place in groups consisting of two students, while learning assessment concerns the individual student and takes place at two different times:
Step A - During and after the exercises. During - checking the main results obtained (usually at the end of each laboratory experience). After - results obtained must be delivered to the teacher through an online form (at the end of each laboratory exercise students will receive a link in their email "numeromatricola@stud.unive.it"). This procedure, in addition to facilitating data collection, avoids the consumption of paper by students. In this step the overall evaluation correspond to the sum of the score obtained for each laboratory exercise and corresponds to 20/30 points.
Step B - At the end of the course. Through an individual test consisting of a volumetric analysis of an unknown sample (duration about 200 minutes). The procedures for carrying out the test are explained in advance by the teachers. The result obtained and all the required values, ​​with the respective calculations, have to be reported. In this step the score depends on the accuracy of the results obtained (maximum score for an experimental error <1%) . Final individual test could also include questions regarding the topics covered during the entire laboratory course.

*"numerodimatricola" correspond to student registration number

Face-to-face teaching consisting of an introductory explanation before the laboratory experience.
Presentation of the practical laboratory manual (named dispensa) and the exercises, with detailed description for each experience of the ACL course.
The practical laboratory manual (dispensa) is available on line.
In agreement with the university resources, there is the possibility to have a tutor for students support during lab experiences.

Further information

STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE COURSE COULD CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC EPISODE DUE TO SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19).

It is important to remark that the access to the laboratories of the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems (Scientific Campus) is forbidden to all those students who have not attended and successfully passed the course “SAFETY AND HEALTH IN DIDACTIS AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES [SIC001] (AF: 215867 AR: 98972)
For Analytical Chemistry (12 CFU) the final score is obtained from a weighted average between the evaluation of the theory course (theoretical module - 6 CFU) and the evaluation of the laboratory course (laboratory module - 6 CFU).
For the ACL course, the final score is obtained by the sum of the scores of all laboratory experiences, for that reason, the attendance of the ACL course is mandatory. The maximum percentage of absence granted for the entire course is 10%.

Students are urge to inform the professors, before the beginning of the course or during the first-day course, about eventually necesities related to the attendance of the ACL course (see worker student), or related to special support (see the following note referring to the student with disability).

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

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