Chemical Analysis

The Analytik Jena chemical analysis solutions provide you with highly sensitive, robust, and user-friendly devices for nearly every task in analytical chemistry.

The chemical analysis portolio consists of atomic absorption spectrometers, inductively coupled plasma spectrometers such as ICP-OES and ICP-MS systems, dedicated mercury analyzers, UV/Vis spectrophotmeters, TOC/TNb analyzers, and elemental analysis systems for the determination of carbon, sulfur, chlorine, and nitrogen.

Chemical analysis in science and laboratory

Chemical analysis is an essential part of modern science and plays a crucial role in numerous fields such as chemistry, pharmacy, environmental science and forensics. No wonder, after all, people have always been fascinated by exploring what things are made of. Thus, Archimedes' discovery of the density of materials is actually an early achievement of analytics. However, today's understanding of analytical chemistry did not develop until the 19th century. The famous pioneer is considered to be Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier, who, like Justus von Liebig, contributed significantly to the development of elemental analysis. Subsequently, the field developed rapidly and established itself as an indispensable part of research and production. To this day, chemical analysis is one of the most important tasks in the laboratory. Analytik Jena provides modern and reliable technology for this purpose - from highly sensitive atomic absorption spectrometers to accessories for sample handling. Overall, chemical analysis is an indispensable discipline in modern science and industry. It enables the characterization of substances, the identification of impurities, the quantification of molecules and the study of chemical processes. By using analytical methods, chemists can make informed decisions and help make products safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.

The following will cover the basic concepts, methods, and techniques of chemical analysis that allow us to study substances for their composition and properties.

Fundamentals of analytical chemistry at a glance

Chemical analysis is subdivided into various sub-areas. Due to the high degree of specialization, the intersections are usually small. There are three major sub-areas.

Qualitative chemical analysis

Qualitative chemical analysis investigates which compounds or elements are contained in a sample. In detail, there are very different questions. In the analysis of unknown substance samples, the aim is to determine the composition. Sensitivity extends down into the ppm and ppb range. With methods such as mass spectroscopy, it is possible to set detection limits very far down. In general, the question in qualitative chemical analysis is always whether or not an element or compound is present in a sample. Qualitative analysis is therefore particularly important for detecting unknown substances or identifying impurities in chemical products. This information is essential to ensure the functionality and safety of products and to identify potential hazards.

Quantitative chemical analysis

Most questions are not just about detecting trace elements or compounds, but quantifying the amount. Depending on the situation, concentrations ranging from percent to trace levels are conceivable.

Spectroscopic methods such as mass spectrometry are often used for this purpose. These techniques enable chemists to precisely determine the concentrations of substances or elements in a sample and thus, for example, to follow reaction processes or check the purity of products. These data are crucial for quality assurance in industry and for assessing the environmental impact of chemicals.

Laboratories equipped by Analytik Jena are able to offer quantitative determinations across many orders of magnitude.

Structural analysis

Structure elucidation is an analysis of a completely different kind. Here, the aim is not to quantify compounds, but to understand the arrangement of atoms in the molecule or the arrangement of molecules in relation to one another. One large subfield is the analysis of organic and biochemical compounds, for example in drug discovery. Another subfield deals with solids and their structure. Both require highly specialized analytical methods.

Solutions for chemical analysis from Analytik Jena

In analytical chemistry, there is a range of methods and technological solutions to answer specific questions.  Analytik Jena offers a wide range of robust and highly sensitive instruments for modern analysis. Our customers include laboratories, manufacturers and research institutions in the following fields:

Learn more about our chemical analysis solutions below.

Elemental analysis

Elemental analysis is the generic term for the qualitative and quantitative determination of elements in samples, often in the trace range. This includes, for example, the measurement of concentrations of mercury in water, nickel in air, arsenic in baby food or osmium in precious metals.

In principle, all metallic and almost all semi-metallic elements and selected non-metals such as fluorine can be quantified. Instrumentally, we offer the following solutions for elemental analysis:

• Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)
• Atomic fluorescence spectrometer (CV-AAS)
• Mass spectrometers (for example ICP-MS)
• Optical emission spectrometers (ICP-OES)

Combustion Elemental Analysis

Elemental analysis is a powerful analytical technique that allows the elemental composition of a sample to be determined. In contrast to elemental analysis, non-metals are analyzed in elemental analysis.

In this process, the sample is burned in a controlled manner in a stream of oxygen. During combustion, the elements contained in the sample - the focus here is mainly on carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and the halogens - are converted to their oxides (SO₂, NOx, CO₂, H₂O) and hydrogen halides (HX). This is done in a special analysis system, and the resulting reaction gases are dried and quantified. Elemental analysis provides extremely precise information about the content of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and halogens present in the sample. It is of great importance in various scientific and industrial fields.

We offer solutions to perform chemical analysis of non-metals qualitatively and quantitatively with the highest accuracy.

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy uses the interaction of light with matter to gain further insights. In simple terms, light can be emitted or absorbed. Chemical compounds and contained elements each exhibit characteristic properties. There are several types of spectroscopy, including UV-vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These techniques help in identifying elemental isotopes, chemical compound and determining their structure.

This chemical analysis is suitable for making qualitative and quantitative statements.  Analytik Jena offers sophisticated UV/Vis instruments for molecular spectroscopy.

Analyzers for TOC and AOX

Further sub-areas of elemental analysis deal with the determination of so-called specific sum parameters such as AOX and TOC.

AOX stands for "Adsorbable Organic Halides". X is the placeholder for chlorine, bromine and iodine. AOX analysis is mainly used in the analysis of water samples, where halogenated compounds play an important role. But AOX is also relevant in the paper industry. Analytik Jena offers a specially developed AOX analyzer for this specialized chemical analysis.

TOC stands for "Total Organic Carbon". This parameter is a central measured variable, especially in environmental analysis. Main applications are the analysis of waste water, cooling water, drinking water and process water. The data obtained contribute to the assessment of environmental impacts and the development of effective wastewater treatment strategies. TOC/TNb analysis is thus essential for environmental protection and research.

If you would like to perform a chemical analysis to quantify TOC, Analytik Jena has its own analyzers for this purpose. We will be happy to support you in choosing the right equipment for your analysis and, moreover, in commissioning it in your laboratory.

Instrumental analysis for modern chemical analysis

As described at the beginning, chemical analysis is a chemical-scientific discipline with a long history. However, the way in which analysis is carried out has changed fundamentally. The reason for this is the further development of instrumental methods that make modern analysis possible in the first place.

In the past, chemical analysis was often lengthy and involved a complex laboratory setup, but modern multi-element analyzers enable very high throughputs. At Analytik Jena, we have developed various devices for instrumental analysis that are used in diverse research areas and industries.