Methods of Chromatographic Analysis

Code:

Q4071

Acronym:

Q4071

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Advanced Methods and Accreditation in Chemical Analysis

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:MA3Q	8	Official study plan since 2025/2026	1	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The curricular unit aims to provide the student with a comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of the modern methodologies of analysis using chromatographic techniques. The different chromatographic techniques will be compared critically and their potentialities will be evidenced through the discussion of their application in different analytical problems, selected as case studies.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

Skills - at the end of the course unit the student will have:

1. acquired the common operating principles of modern chromatographic instruments.
2. knowledge of all the most important aspects of chromatographic separations, their characteristics and potentialities.
3. actual instrumentation experimental skills to perform complex separations.
4. competence to select the most suitable chromatographic techniques to answer specific analytical problems.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Fundamentals of Separation in Column Chromatography.


2. Gas chromatography.

2.1. The Column in Gas Chromatography

2.2 Instrumental aspects of Gas Chromatography

2.3. Applications and recent advances in gas chromatography

1. Liquid Chromatography.

3.1. The Column in Liquid Chromatography

3.2. Instrumental aspects of Liquid Chromatography

3.3. Applications and recent advances in liquid chromatography

4. Advanced processes of sample preparation

Mandatory literature

Colin F. Poole; The essence of chromatography, Elsevier Science, B, V, 2003. ISBN: 0444501983
Lindsay Sandy; High performance liquid chromatography. ISBN: 0-471-91373-1
Willett John; Gas chromatography. ISBN: 0-471-91332-4
Sewell Peter A.; Chromatographic separations. ISBN: 0-471-91371-5

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course will provide theoretical and practical skills. Whilst dialectic between these two aspects is intended, the eminently theoretical part will be played in the classroom, in a theoretical-practical approach involving  discussion, problem-solving and information research. The practice is essentially developed in the laboratory, allowing a familiarization with different chromatographic instrumentation and its application to data acquisition, with the purpose of instrumental performance test.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	0,00
Frequência das aulas	0,00
Trabalho laboratorial	0,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico
Total:	0,00

Eligibility for exams

Student attendance to the practical classes is mandatory. Those students whose attendance is lower than 3/4 of the classes planned are considered without attendance.

Calculation formula of final grade

The assessment will be distributed, taking into account the components of an individual presentation about a research work (40%) and final written examination (60%). Students who do not obtain a grade of 9.5 points or more in practical assignment will be excluded from the final written examination. Approval in the final written exam requires a mark higher than 7.0 values.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

According the regulations of FCUP

Classification improvement

The improvement in classification can be achieved by performing final examination for this purpose.