6
1 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
used is rather a common mistake propitiated by those who place all emphasis on
the use of chemical reactions and (physical) measuring instruments, respectively. These terms tend to be misleading and should be avoided in every context,
but particularly in textbooks.
Recently, the designation Analytical Science has been used instead of Analytical Chemistry in some geographic areas in an attempt at emphasizing its
basic side; however, this term is meaningless as it can be applied to any facet of
the word "analysis". Occasionally, the term "Instrumental Analysis" is used to
emphasize the fact that Analytical Chemistry uses mostly "instruments" for its
purposes; however, this designation is also pointless since the tendency to distinguishing it from Classical Analysis, which is discussed in Sect. 1.7, is now a
thing of the past. Other designations such as Bioanalytical Chemistry, Clinical
Analysis, Environmental Analysis and Industrial Analysis are but specific tasks
of Analytical Chemistry and can be used in their respective contexts.
Box 1.2
Using the designation "Physical Analysis" to refer to analytical processes based on physical
measu rements (e.g. X-ray techn iques, luminescence spectroscopy) may be misleading. In
fact, th is term can also be applied to measurements such as the thickness of a steel sheet, the
temperature of a water tank or the compressive strength of a plastic block, for example. All
these are obviously outside the scope of Analytical Chemistry.
However. physical and physico-chemical parameters are often used for analytical chemical purposes. The identification of analyte species in chromatography and electrophoresis
relies on time or distance measurements. Also. the ethanol content in a wine is routinely
determined from density measurements.
So-called "Thermal AnalysiS· can be performed in various ways. In one (thermal differential
analysis or TDA). a typically physical parameter such as temperature is used to extract analytical information; in another (thermogravimetric analysis or TGA), it is used as a "tool':
1.2 Analytical Chemical Information
The results produced by an analytical laboratory or by analytical systems that
deliver data on-site are part of the information required by (Fig. 1.4):
(a) Science and Technology, development of which relies on data provided by
quality measurements;
(b) Society, which is unarguably affected by information (the fourth power in
addition to the legislative, executive and judicial ones); and
(c) Economy (of the production and service industries), where information is
also regarded as the fourth power (in addition to capital, labour and raw
materials) .
Hence the significance of Analytical Chemistry, which should deliver as truthful
information as possible in order to facilitate educated, efficient, timely decisions
in the above-described domains.
1 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
used is rather a common mistake propitiated by those who place all emphasis on
the use of chemical reactions and (physical) measuring instruments, respectively. These terms tend to be misleading and should be avoided in every context,
but particularly in textbooks.
Recently, the designation Analytical Science has been used instead of Analytical Chemistry in some geographic areas in an attempt at emphasizing its
basic side; however, this term is meaningless as it can be applied to any facet of
the word "analysis". Occasionally, the term "Instrumental Analysis" is used to
emphasize the fact that Analytical Chemistry uses mostly "instruments" for its
purposes; however, this designation is also pointless since the tendency to distinguishing it from Classical Analysis, which is discussed in Sect. 1.7, is now a
thing of the past. Other designations such as Bioanalytical Chemistry, Clinical
Analysis, Environmental Analysis and Industrial Analysis are but specific tasks
of Analytical Chemistry and can be used in their respective contexts.
Box 1.2
Using the designation "Physical Analysis" to refer to analytical processes based on physical
measu rements (e.g. X-ray techn iques, luminescence spectroscopy) may be misleading. In
fact, th is term can also be applied to measurements such as the thickness of a steel sheet, the
temperature of a water tank or the compressive strength of a plastic block, for example. All
these are obviously outside the scope of Analytical Chemistry.
However. physical and physico-chemical parameters are often used for analytical chemical purposes. The identification of analyte species in chromatography and electrophoresis
relies on time or distance measurements. Also. the ethanol content in a wine is routinely
determined from density measurements.
So-called "Thermal AnalysiS· can be performed in various ways. In one (thermal differential
analysis or TDA). a typically physical parameter such as temperature is used to extract analytical information; in another (thermogravimetric analysis or TGA), it is used as a "tool':
1.2 Analytical Chemical Information
The results produced by an analytical laboratory or by analytical systems that
deliver data on-site are part of the information required by (Fig. 1.4):
(a) Science and Technology, development of which relies on data provided by
quality measurements;
(b) Society, which is unarguably affected by information (the fourth power in
addition to the legislative, executive and judicial ones); and
(c) Economy (of the production and service industries), where information is
also regarded as the fourth power (in addition to capital, labour and raw
materials) .
Hence the significance of Analytical Chemistry, which should deliver as truthful
information as possible in order to facilitate educated, efficient, timely decisions
in the above-described domains.