Università Roma Tre

CHIM / 03 Chemical sensors - Prof. Luca Tortora
1. Fundamentals of Analytical Measurements and Instrumentation
Fundamental analytical parameters: analytical signal, sensitivity, selectivity, resolution, noise, signal-to-noise ratio, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, reproducibility, linearity, and instrumental drift.
Calibration procedures and construction of calibration curves.
Basic statistical treatment of analytical data.
Introduction to multivariate data analysis applied to food matrices.
2. UV-Visible Spectroscopy Applied to Food Analysis
Theoretical principles of electronic absorption spectroscopy.
Electronic transitions and Beer–Lambert law.
UV-Vis instrumentation: light sources, monochromators, detectors.
Applications in food analysis: determination of polyphenols, natural pigments (anthocyanins, carotenoids), quality control of beverages (wine, olive oil, fruit juices), monitoring of oxidation processes.
3. Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR)
Principles of vibrational spectroscopy.
Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and ATR configuration.
Interpretation of IR spectra of food matrices.
Applications: characterization of oils, fats, dairy products, flours; detection of adulteration and authenticity assessment.
4. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy
Physical principles of radiation–matter interaction.
Characteristic X-ray emission and qualitative/quantitative elemental analysis.
Bench-top and portable XRF instrumentation.
Applications: elemental determination in wine, water, cereals; detection of metal contaminants; geographical traceability studies.
5. Chemical Sensors for the Agri-Food Sector
Definition and classification of chemical sensors.
Chemical mechanisms of sensing: molecular interactions, coordination chemistry, gas–solid and liquid–solid interactions.
Sensors for gaseous and liquid phases.
Applications in food quality control and shelf-life monitoring.
Laboratory Activities
The course includes hands-on laboratory sessions, during which students will:
Perform instrumental analyses on different food matrices.
Acquire UV-Vis, FT-IR, and XRF spectra.
Carry out basic calibration and quantitative analysis procedures.
Process and interpret experimental data.
Prepare a scientific report structured according to academic standards (introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, and conclusions), including critical evaluation of the obtained results.

Slides of the teacher