Head of laboratory: Prof. Dr. Marbach
Assistant: Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Edda Binder  Frau Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Edda Binder

• Laboratory workplaces: max. 20
• IR spectrometer with gas cell (Bruker)
• UV-VIS spectrometer (Shimadzu, Dr. Lange, Jena Analytics)
• Ion chromatograph (Metrohm)
• Gas chromatographs with FI detectors (Fisons, Hewlett- Packard) or MS detector (Agilent)
• High-performance liquid chromatograph (Hewlett-Packard)
• Atomic absorption spectrometer (Perkin-Elmer)
• Differential scanning calorimeter (Mettler)
• Thermogravity balance (Netzsch)
• Polarographic measuring cell ( Metrohm)
• Microwave digestion system (CEM)

1. Instrumental and Environmental Analysis practicals

2a.) Air analysis:

• Determination of formaldehyde using HPLC
• Determination of BTX using GC
• NOx monitoring
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using GC

2b.) Water analysis:

• Hydrocarbons
• Cations and anions using polarography, ion chromatography and atomic absorption spectrometry

Objectives and activities: In these practicals, students become acquainted with various important analytical methods in practice; simultaneously, their theoretical knowledge of important analytical techniques is enhanced.
Normally groups of 2 students work together to acquire the necessary elementary knowledge, then they run the experiments as independently as possible and summarise the results in a report. By carrying out all the work stages independently, students learn the important practical handling methods, and also "grasp" interrelationships. The 4-hour practical takes place in the 5th semester, following the introductory lecture in Instrumental Analysis (semester 4). At the beginning of the practical, the individual experiments are discussed using the experiment scripts.

Content: The content of the practical constantly changes to meet the changing demands of industry. Alongside basic experiments on chromatography and spectroscopy, modern methods like the analysis of formaldehyde using HPLC or DIN methods like the determination of cations using polarography are also taught. At present, students carry out 10 compulsory experiments.

Experiment 3: Atomic absorption spectrometry

• Quantitative analysis of heavy-metal ions (Cd and Pb concentration in paint samples)
• Determination of the Ca and Mg concentration of soil samples

Experiment 4: Gas chromatography

• Determination of half-value width, normal level and partition stage
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of a solvent mixture

Experiment 5: Applied gas chromatography

• Determination of the plasticizer concentration of polymers
• Determination of BTX aromatics in air according to VDI 3482 using GC-MS
• Determination of the hydrocarbon index according to the H53 method

Experiment 7: High-performance liquid chromatography

• Determination of aldehydes using HPLC

Experiment 8: Ion chromatography

• Determination of anions in different aqueous samples

Experiment 10: Thermal analysis

• Thermal behaviour of different plastic samples