Lecture 01

• What is the purpose of sample preparation techniques?

  To prepare samples for analysis
• Why is sample preparation required?

  To convert analyte to a measurable form
• What are the main strategies for sample preparation?

  • Recovery and enrichment
  • Distillation
• What types of samples can be sources for analysis?

  Biological fluids, environmental samples, food products
• What are examples of biological fluid samples?

  Plasma, saliva, or urine
• What are examples of environmental samples?

  Water, air, or soil
• What types of food products can be samples?

  Grains, meat, and seafood
• What is the purpose of converting solid samples into solution?

  To facilitate analysis
• What does solubility refer to?

  The upper limit of solute in solvent
• Which solutes dissolve best in polar solvents?

  Polar solutes
• What happens when a polar solute is mixed with a non-polar solvent?

  They tend to be insoluble
• What are the types of samples in sample treatment?

  • Bulk sample
  • Gross sample
  • Laboratory sample
  • Analysis sample
  • Heterogeneous sample
  • Homogeneous sample
• What is a bulk sample?

  A large sample of mineralised rock
• What is a gross sample?

  A sample consisting of several portions
• What is a laboratory sample?

  A reduced size sample for analysis
• What is an analysis sample?

  A few grams to milligrams for analysis
• What characterises a heterogeneous sample?

  Contains particles of different shapes or sizes
• What characterises a homogeneous sample?

  Appears uniform regardless of source
• What factors should be considered when preparing a sample for analysis?

  • State: solid, liquid, or gas?
  • Type: organic or inorganic?
  • Need to dissolve?
  • Ash or digest?
  • Chemical separation or masking needed?
  • Concentrate the analyte?
  • Adjust solution conditions?
• What are the methods for performing chemical separations?

  • Distillation
  • Precipitation
  • Solvent extraction
  • Solid phase extraction
  • Chromatography
  • Electrophoresis
• What is distillation used for?

  To separate components based on boiling points
• What is the essential oil extraction method?

  • Steam distillation