Analytical Advances in Clinical and Forensic Toxicology. Second Part

An analytical methodology can be divided into four sequential steps: technique, method, procedure, and protocol. A technique is a scientific principle that rationalizes a specific phenomenon through chemical measurements. Adapting a technique for analyzing a sample of interest is termed a method. The procedure outlines the directions for performing the analysis via an analytical method. The protocol is the detailed guidelines on the procedure, which should be strictly followed to obtain the...

In certain chromatographic separations, solutes transfer between the mobile phase and the stationary phase via sorption, which typically refers to the process of adsorption. For many chromatographic systems, the sorption process often depends on the polarity of the compounds—an expression of the overall dipole moment within the molecule. During the separation process, there is competition between the solute and solvent for adsorption to the stationary phase. Highly polar compounds and...

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and former follower of Freud, eventually broke away from Freud's ideas to create his framework, analytical psychology. This approach emphasizes achieving a balance between the conscious and unconscious aspects of the mind and reconciling various experiences within an individual's personality. Jung believed that this process, which typically unfolds in the latter part of life, involves an ongoing journey of recognizing and incorporating unconscious...

Analyzing two sinusoidal voltages with equal amplitude and period but different phases on an oscilloscope, an instrument used to display and analyze waveforms, involves a three-step process.
The first step is measuring the peak-to-peak value, which is twice the amplitude of the sinusoid. This provides information about the maximum voltage swing of the waveform.
Secondly, the period and angular frequency are determined. The period is the time taken for one complete cycle of the waveform, while...

Functional groups are groups of atoms with specific chemical properties that occur within organic molecules and are sometimes denoted as “R”. Functional groups can “functionalize” a compound by enabling it to adopt different physical and chemical properties.
Types of Advanced Functional Groups
The table below summarizes some of the major functional groups in organic chemistry.

Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is...