ANALYTIC CHEMISTRY TECHNIQUES AND

INSTRMENTS
Name
Siam Sufian

School of Engineering
Taylors University

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is used to gather data of a sample material regarding
its functional groups, quality or other components can be determined. This is achieved by by
emitting an infrared radiation through the material. Some are absorbed and some are transmitted
through the material resulting in a unique spectrum of the absorption and transmission, which
then can be used to deduce the molecular fingerprint of the sample or material. The technique is
very fast, precise and accurate, because of the instruments high sensitivity.
The Michelson Interferometer
An FT-IR is typically based on The Michelson Interferometer Experimental Setup; an
example is shown in Fig. 1. The interferometer consists of a Beam splitter, a fixed mirror, and a
mirror that translates back and forth, very precisely. The beam splitter is made of a special
material that transmits half of the radiation striking it and reflects the other half. Radiation from
the source strikes the beam splitter and separates into two beams. One beam is transmitted
through the beam splitter to the fixed mirror and the second is reflected off the beam splitter to
the moving mirror. The fixed and moving mirrors reflect the radiation back to the beam splitter.
Again, half of this reflected radiation is transmitted and half is reflected at the beam splitter,
resulting in one beam passing to the detector and the second back to the source.

Figure 1: Inner workings of a FTIR

Atomic Spectroscopy
Atomic spectroscopy is used to determine the composition of an element or compound in
any given material. Atomic spectroscopy can be classified by the type of atomization source used
or the type of spectroscopy used. Like any other spectroscopy methods, atomic spectroscopy
consists of source emitter and detector. It works by emitting light, and if the wavelength of the
light emitted has energy corresponding to the energy difference between two energy levels in the
atom, a portion of the light will be absorbed. By using the Beer-Lambert Law, information
regarding the concentration of atoms, the distance of the light travelled and the portion of the
light absorbed can be related.
Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is the most used of atomic methods. Below
diagram of a single-beam atomic absorption spectrometer. Radiation from a line source is
focused on the atomic vapour in aflame or an electro thermal atomizer. The attenuated source
radiation then enters a monochromator, which isolates the line of interest. Next the radiant power
from the source, attenuated by absorption, is measured by a light-sensitive detector called the
photomultiplier tube (PMT). The signal is then processed and directed to a computer system for
output.

Figure 2: Atomic Spectroscopy Technique

Gas Chromatography
Gas chromatography is a term used to describe the group of analytical separation techniques
used to analyze volatile substances in the gas phase. In gas chromatography, the components of a
sample are dissolved in a solvent and vaporized in order to separate the analytes by distributing
the sample between two phases: a stationary phase and a mobile phase. The mobile phase is a
chemically inert gas that carries the molecules of the analyte through a heated column. The
mobile phase does not interact with the stationary phase. The stationary phase is either a solid
adsorbent, termed gas-solid chromatography (GSC), or a liquid on an inert support, termed gasliquid chromatography.
Gas chromatography involves a sample being vaporized and injected into the column. The
sample is then transported to the column by the flow of inert gas. Sample components are
separated based on their boiling points. The detector measures the quantity of the components
that exit the column. The fastest moving component tends to exit the column first. The size of the
recorded signal is recorded and is plotted against elapsed time to produce a chromatogram.
Gas chromatography has wide range of use. Analyzing the concentrations of the pesticides
and herbicides is important as it can affect not only the pests and weeds but the plants and food
source as well. Gas chromatography is used to analyze drugs to analyze impurities. Besides, this
technique is used to identify the natural products containing complex mixtures crude oil or
natural gas.

Figure 3: Simple Gas Chromatography

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Just like the previous gas chromatography, HLPC is used to determine and quantify the
component that constitutes a mixture, but the technique used is completely different. Rather than
gaseous, samples are required to be in liquid phase and instead of boiling points, flow rates are
the parameters used to determine the component. It relies on pumps to pass a pressurized
liquid solvent containing the sample mixture through a column filled with a solid adsorbent.
Each component in the sample interacts slightly differently with the adsorbent material, causing
different flow rates for the different components and leading to the separation of the components
as they flow out the column. Signals are transmitted from the detector to the printer that presents
the separation graphically.
Using high-performance liquid chromatography allows analysis of polymer additive and
polymer formulation. Besides, this technique is used for water analysis to identify traces of
contaminants or impurities. Production recycle stream for reaction tanks in industries is another
field where such technique is used.

Figure 4: HPLC Process

Gas Chromatography

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Phase

Gas

Liquid

Reference
parameter

Component boiling
points

Component flow rates

Pump

Not required

Required

Flexibility

Less flexible due to

the gas nature

More flexibility

Speed

Fast

Slow

Carrier

Iner gas

Liquid
Table 1 - GSC vs. HPLC

Atomic Spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Components
analyzed

Elements

Functional groups

Reference
parameter

Light emitted from the

sample

Light absorbed by the sample

Heating

Required

Not required

Speed

Slow

Fast

Laws used

Beer-Lamber Law

WienerKhinchin theorem

Other
components
used

Flammable gas
(acetylene)

none

Table 1 Atomic Spectroscopy vs. FTIR