GENERAL AND INSTRUMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - MOD. 2

The teaching General and Instrumental Analytical Chemistry is part of the core educational activities characterizing the degree course in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, curriculum in Sciences and Technologies of Bio and Nanomaterials, aimed at providing students with knowledge and understanding of the main methods and techniques of scientific investigation for the study and characterization of advanced materials, using the methods developed to treat the experimental data and the current technical-scientific language in an appropriate manner.
The teaching Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory is divided into two modules (defined as Module 1 and Module 2), both with theoretical lessons and laboratory exercises. The educational objectives of the course include:
1. Learn and understand the general principles on which the classical and instrumental analytical methods most commonly used in the analysis and characterization of advanced and nanostructured materials, also featuring biologically-derived components.
2. Develop skills and competences aimed at identifying and applying the most common classical and instrumental analytical techniques to the investigation and characterization of above-mentioned materials, as well as at interpreting the experimental data.
3. Provide knowledge on the functioning of the instrumentation and on the modality of reading the responses obtained from the different types of instruments and their correlation with the theoretical aspects dealt with.
4. Develop critical sense that allows students to evaluate the potentials, advantages and limitations of the various analytical techniques studied.
5. Develop skills in the evaluation and reliability of an analytical data.

The specific training objectives of module 2 of the course are:
1. Provide students with knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the main instrumental analytical techniques based on spectroscopy, electrochemistry and chromatography, most commonly used in the study Science and Technology of Materials.
2. Ability to evaluate the invasive and / or non-invasive analytical techniques best suited to the application in the study of bio and nanomaterials.
3. Develop manual skills, familiarity, and autonomy in experimentally tackling instrumental analytical problems, either alone or in small work groups.
4. Develop skills to design an appropriate experimental approach to scientific investigation and use of analytical instrumentation.
5. Develop skills in collecting, organizing, and processing experimental data and presenting them through a report drawn up in a suitable scientific language.
6. Develop the competence to interpret and critically evaluate the experimental results in accordance with the theoretical principles underlying the techniques used.

Expected learning outcomes for module 2:

1. Knowledge and understanding
(a) Know the fundamental principles of the analytical techniques based on spectroscopy, electrochemistry and chromatography, the laws which they are based on and the equations that express them.
(b) Knowledge and understanding of the elements that make up the instruments with which the spectroscopic, electrochemical and chromatographic analyses are carried out.
(c) Know the main features of the process of acquisition and processing of experimental data.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
(a) Ability to understand the instrumental aspects and their connection with the theoretical basis of an instrumental analytical method.
(b) Ability to use the laws and concepts learned in the theoretical course for the application of analytical instrumental techniques in the resolution of an analytical problem in the of Science and Technology of Materials.
(c) Ability to collect experimental data (alone and / or in groups) and to elaborate them consistently in the final results, made explicit by writing a scientific report.

3. Ability to judge (depending on the in-depth analysis of the subject matter during the course)
(a) Ability to compare the available analytical techniques to choose the most appropriate to solve a specific problem.
(b) Ability to perform a critical evaluation of the experimental results, recognizing possible errors and proposing alternative methods.
(c) Ability to evaluate the logical consistency of the functioning of the instruments

4. Communication skills
(a) Communicating the knowledge learned and the result of their application using an appropriate language, both in oral and written.
(b) Develop the ability to work in a team, interacting with the teammates in a respectful and constructive way, assuming responsibility for their role in the team.

To have achieved the training objectives of general and inorganic chemistry, mathematics, physics, and possibly (but not necessarily) having passed the exams of these teachings.

With respect to the training objectives and the expected learning outcomes, the module General and Instrumental Analytical Chemistry – Mod.2 is divided into two parts.

FIRST PART: theory

1. Introduction to instrumental analytical techniques.
2. Spectroscopic analytical techniques - atomic spectrophotometry. Introduction to spectrophotometric methods. Atomic spectroscopy. Fundamental principles of X-ray spectroscopy: X-ray fluorescence and diffraction. Absorption and emission atomic spectroscopy. Atomic mass spectrometry. ICP-MS laser ablation. Components of the instrumentation.
3. Spectroscopic analytical techniques - molecular spectrophotometry. Introduction to molecular absorption spectrophotometry in ultraviolet and visible. Spectrophotometry of molecular reflectance in the visible. Components of the instrumentation. Infrared spectrophotometry. Raman spectroscopy.
4. Electrochemical techniques. Introduction to thermodynamics and electrode kinetics. Electron transfer reaction: Butler-Volmer and Marcus kinetics. Potential-controlled transient methods: cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear voltammetry (LSV) and differential pulsed (DPV) voltammetry, chronoamperometry (CA). Reversible, irreversible and quasi-reversible processes. Controlled-current methodologies: chronopotentiometry, constant-current electrolysis. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning probe microscopy: scanning electrochemical micriscopy (SECM), also coupled with atomic force micriscopy (AFM-SECM).
5. Introduction to chromatographic separations. General presentation of chromatographic methods. Gas chromatography (GC). Principles and instrumentation. Columns and stationary phases for gas chromatography. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Efficiency of the column. Instrumentation for HPLC. Various liquid chromatography techniques. Thin layer chromatography.

SECOND PART – laboratory

The experimental investigations carried out in the laboratory will mainly deal with the following methodologies.
1. UV-vis molecular spectroscopy.
2. Emission atomic spectroscopy with atomization by microwave plasma.
3. Electrochemistry: cyclic, linear and differential pulse voltammetry of a redox mediator in solution; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, water-splitting and Tafel plot

1. Skoog D.A., West D.M., Holler F.J., Crough S.R., Fondamenti di Chimica Analitica, EdiSES, Napoli, III ed. (2015), op. II Ed. (2005).
2. Skoog D.A., Holler F.J., Crouch S.R., Chimica Analitica Strumentale, EdiSES, Napoli, 2009.
3. A. J. Bard, L. R. Faulkner. Electrochemical Methods. Fundamentals and Applications. 2nd ed. New York City: Wiley, 2002.
4. L. Sabbatini, C. Malitesta, P. Pastore. Chimica Analitica. EdiSES, 2025.
5. D. S. Hage, J. D. Carr. Chimica Analitica e Analisi Quantitativa. Piccin 2012.

For the executive part of the exercises the teachers will provide handouts with the information necessary for the realization of each experience and the processing of the corresponding report.

The evaluation of learning related to the teaching of General and Instrumental Analytical Chemistry - Module 2, is consisting of a written and oral exam:
(a) Written exam. It consists of a series of questions and exercises related to both the theorical part and the experiences performed in the laboratory. Concerning the latter ones, the realization of at least 80% of the programmed laboratory activities is required. Appropriate additional laboratory sessions are planned to allow for possible recoveries. The evaluation of the laboratory activity (laboratory reports) weights 5% of the written exam. The written exam is structured with the aim of evaluating the understanding of the analytical methodologies and techniques and their applications. Weight: 50% of the vote.
(b) An oral examination for the evaluation of the objectives concerning the theoretical part, which consists of a series of open questions related to the theoretical aspects of the different analytical techniques dealt with. The proposed questions will be of different levels: understanding, application, analysis, and critical evaluation. Weight: 50% of the vote.

The overall assessment of the General and Instrumental Analytical Chemistry – Module 2 is calculated as the arithmetic average of the marks obtained for the written and oral parts: (0.5 a + 0.5 b).

written and oral

The oral exam, with an average duration of about 20 minutes, will cover two or three topics discussed during the course. It will assess argumentative skills and technical-scientific knowledge of the requested subjects of the exam, including a topic of choice.
The grading scale is determined by:
- Knowledge of the required topics (up to 10 points);
- Detailed and precise knowledge of the topics covered (up to 5 points);
- Ability to delve deeper into the topic (up to 5 points);
- Confidence in presentation (up to 5 points);
- Ability to structure the discussion independently (up to 5 points).

Theoretical part: the teaching will take place through lectures in which the principles concerning the instrumental analytical techniques will be presented and discussed.

Laboratory - module 2: students will be divided into small work groups to perform the programmed experimental activities of instrumental analytical chemistry. At the end of each experience the students must write a report with describing in a concise and effective manner the activities, the data elaboration, and the results obtained. The results must be critically evaluated based on the objectives of the experiment, the theory concerning the technique used and the results present in the literature.

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 supportservices 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.
Students, who legitimately cannot attend the course in whole or in part, are required to contact the teacher and discuss the program before the beginning of the classes.