Chemical analysis

Chemical analysis identifies the substances present in a sample and measures their amounts. It uses chemical and instrumental methods to turn samples into qualitative or quantitative results.

Sampling (statistics): The selection of a subset of material or observations to represent a larger population. A sound analysis begins with a portion that represents the material being tested.
Chromatography: A separation technique in which components distribute differently between a stationary phase and a mobile phase. It separates mixtures before their components are identified or quantified.
Clinical chemistry: The laboratory measurement of chemicals in blood and other body fluids for health assessment. It applies chemical analysis to biomarkers, metabolites, and therapeutic drug levels.
Qualitative analysis: Analysis that determines which chemical species are present in a sample. It answers what is present without necessarily determining how much.
Measurement uncertainty: A parameter describing the range of values reasonably attributable to a measured quantity. Uncertainty communicates how precisely an analytical result is known.
Calibration: The comparison of an instrument's response with known reference values to establish its measurement relationship. Calibration connects instrument signals to chemical amounts.
Mass spectrometry: An analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratios of ions. Mass spectra provide molecular and elemental evidence for identifying sample components.
Environmental monitoring: The systematic measurement of environmental conditions and contaminants over time. Chemical analyses quantify pollutants in air, water, soil, and organisms.
Quantitative analysis: Analysis that determines the amount or concentration of a chemical species in a sample. It answers how much is present, often after the analyte has been identified.
Matrix effect: A change in analytical response caused by sample components other than the analyte. Unwanted matrix effects can bias measurements even when calibration appears sound.

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