ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY - PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES

The aim is to provide the fundamental concepts of Analytical Chemistry to determinate compounds of environmental interest in real matrices (drinking waters, seawater, waste waters and sediments) and to use the more suitable techniques and instrumentation. The student will learn the essential basic procedures to ensure a good laboratory practice. The first laboratory module is focused on learning classic techniques for chemical analysis: preparation of solutions with a known concentration, practical foundations of gravimetric and volumetric analysis. The second module is focused to experiment instrumental analytical techniques. All the exercises will be carried out on real environmental matrices. This laboratory is integrated with the theoretical Analytical Chemistry module, providing fundamental applied skills for environmental analysis. Activities are oriented toward interdisciplinary scientific training in the knowledge area of the environmental analytical chemistry.

The course scope is to give the practical capacity to determine components of environmental interest in real matrices using the fundamental concepts of analytical chemistry. The student at the end of the course will be autonomously able to carry laboratory analysis to quantify different analytes by classical volumetric analysis and instrumental analysis. Moreover, the course will give the capacity for a critical interpretation of chimico-analytical data in order to define the environment quality. One essential scope of the course is to explain the motivations behind every laboratory operation. The final scope is to give at the student the capacity to apply analytical protocols also different from those tested in the laboratory course and to understanding its meaning.
These learning objectives can therefore be summarized as follows:
• Knowledge and understanding: rationale and fundamentals of laboratory techniques.
• Application skills: independent analysis of real matrices.
• Judgment skills: critical evaluation of protocols and results.
• Communication skills: drafting clear and accurate technical reports.
• Learning skills: adaptability to new experimental procedures.

Subject requirements: Basic knowledge of general and inorganic chemistry.
Formal requirements: BEFORE attending the experimental laboratory activities, it is mandatory to obtain the document certifying the achievement of training in the field of safety in the workplace (pursuant to Legislative Decree 81/2008 and subsequent amendments).

All analyses are contextualized to specific environmental issues (water quality, soil pollution, emissions). Specific content includes:
• Laboratory safety: prevention and protection in the analytical chemistry laboratory.
• Description (in class) of theoretical aspect and the experimental activity for the following laboratory experiments, insights on some instrumental techniques.
• Gravimetric determination of sulphates in water sample. Determination of: total acidity of waste industrial waters (potentiometric titration), of OD in sea water, of Ca and Mg in drinkable water sample, (complexation titration). Stoichiometric calculations relating to experiences.
• Determination of metals in drinkable matrices by optical emission spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma source (ICP-OES).
• Deternination of aliphatic hydrocabon by gas chromatography (GC).
• Determination of soluble ions by ion chromatography.

Lecture notes and handouts provided annually by the teachers.
Suggested text: L. Sabbatini, C. Malitesta, P. Pastore; Chimica Analitica, Edizione I/2025 EdiSES, Padova.
For international students: D. A. SKOOG, D. M. WEST, F.J. HOLLER, Fundamental of Analytical Chemistry, International Student Edition, EdiSES, Padova.

During laboratory experiments, the students will be invited to discuss with the teacher the results obtained during the experimental activity and to interpret the collected data. After each experiment, the students must present a report containing the experimental data and the elaboration carried out to obtain the final result.
The laboratory module exam will be oral. The exam is designed to assess students' basic knowledge of the methods and calculations needed to correctly express laboratory analysis results. It also assesses clarity of presentation and ability to critically interpret data.
Students who have achieved at least a passing grade in the corresponding exam for the Analytical Chemistry theoretical module are eligible to take the laboratory module exam. The final overall grade will be the arithmetic mean of the grades awarded in both the theoretical and laboratory modules.

oral

The final evaluation is based on the following graduated criteria:
1. scores in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- sufficient knowledge and ability to understand applied in reference to the program;
- limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments;
- sufficient communication skills;
2. scores in the 23-26 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- fair knowledge and ability to understand applied in reference to the program;
- fair ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments;
- fair communication skills;
3. scores in the 27-30 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- good or excellent knowledge and ability to understand applied in reference to the program;
- good or excellent ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments;
- fully appropriate communication skills.
4. honors will be awarded in the presence of knowledge and understanding applied in reference to the program, judgment and communication skills, excellent.

Lectures and experimental laboratory activities. Preliminary lectures will be carried out to explain the motivation of each experimental operation and to give a detailed description of the laboratory practical operations, particular attention will be devoted to ensure safety in the laboratory and the sustainability of operations (management and disposal of used chemicals). The laboratory activities give the opportunity to autonomously apply the acquired knowledge by the adequate accuracy and precision. The teaching materials are made available on Moodle.

The attendance of lectures and participation at the practical laboratory activities is extremely important to have an adequate preparation; therefore, the student who has a total number of absences to laboratory activities greater than 2 may have difficulty passing the final test. If the student does not regularly attend the theoretical/practical lessons, he can still take the final exam, however this is strongly discouraged.
Accommodations and Support Services for Students with Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders: Ca’ Foscari complies with Italian law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding the support services and accommodations available to students with disabilities or specific learning disorders. If you have a motor, visual, hearing, or other disability (Law 17/1999), or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010), and require support (in-class assistance, technological aids for exams or individualized exams, accessible-format materials, note-taking support, specialized tutoring, interpreters, or other services), please contact the Disability and SLD Office at: disabilita@unive.it.