Sample Preparation Techniques in Analytical Chemistry

Book excerpt: The importance of accurate sample preparation techniques cannot be overstated--meticulous sample preparation is essential. Often overlooked, it is the midway point where the analytes from the sample matrix are transformed so they are suitable for analysis. Even the best analytical techniques cannot rectify problems generated by sloppy sample pretreatment. Devoted entirely to teaching and reinforcing these necessary pretreatment steps, Sample Preparation Techniques in Analytical Chemistry addresses diverse aspects of this important measurement step. These include: * State-of-the-art extraction techniques for organic and inorganic analytes * Sample preparation in biological measurements * Sample pretreatment in microscopy * Surface enhancement as a sample preparation tool in Raman and IR spectroscopy * Sample concentration and clean-up methods * Quality control steps Designed to serve as a text in an undergraduate or graduate level curriculum, Sample Preparation Techniques in Analytical Chemistry also provides an invaluable reference tool for analytical chemists in the chemical, biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and materials sciences.