Corsi di studio in
Farmacia - Chimica e tecnologia farmaceutiche

Educational Goals of the course
The course introduces the fundamentals of pharmaceutical analysis both in theory and in practical terms. This is the first laboratory module with individual practice
Outcomes Verification
During the semester the students preparation was verified with the e-learning platform Moodle (http://elearning.unito.it/farmacia).
The examination consist of three parts: an admission test to laboratory; a laboratory test; a written examination.
Requirements
Chemical background assured by the course of Chemistry
Program
Introductory lesson.
The course organization. Guidance on finding resources online. Methods of examination.
Safety in chemical laboratories.
Legal aspects and general rules.
Pharmaceutical analysis.
Definition of sample, analyte, reagent and interfering constituent.
Analysis of a mixture of inorganic salts.
The purpose of the analysis and importance of establishing a procedure.
Anions identification
Anions identifiable through essays on the solid sample: carbonates, borates, acetates, and sulfides. Anions identifiable in solution: the alkaline solution, interfering anions removal: chromates and permanganates, halides search (test with silver nitrate and chlorine); sulphates and sulphites search (test with barium chloride and iodine); phosphate search (molybdate reagent); nitrate search (brown-ring test)
Cations identification
Systematic group separation method. First group: reactions of precipitation, separation and identification. Barium sulphate problem. Second group: the permanganate and dichromate interference, reactions of precipitation, separation and identification. Third group: the phosphates and borates interference, a comparative analysis of interfering effects, reactions of precipitation, separation and identification. Fourth and fifth group: reactions of precipitation, separation and identification. Identification of magnesium ions. Flame analysis and ammonium identification. Theoretical arguments underlying the analysis of a mixture: the selective precipitation of sulphides and hydroxides. Final considerations on the analysis of a mixture. Concepts of complete precipitation, washing of precipitates, verification of the solubility of a precipitate in a solvent.
Analysis of a drug.
Introduction. The table of drugs taken into account in the course. The European Pharmacopoeia: current edition. Monographs: an example of a monograph on the drugs covered in the course (alum). The prescribed solution. General Part: reagents and reactions for the identification ions. Reactions for the identification of: acetates, aluminium ions, bromide, calcium ions, chlorides, iodides, magnesium ions, phosphates, sulphates, zinc ions. Reactions for the identification of: bismuth ion, carbonates / bicarbonates, iron (II) and iron (III) ions. The experimental procedure for the analysis of a drug. Monographs that require comment: aluminium oxide, barium sulphate, boric acid, borax, potassium iodate, sodium thiosulphate and sodium sulphite.
Bibliography
The necessary material for the preparation of the  examination is downloadable from the e-learning platform.
A useful but not essential book is:
Peloso A., Turco A., Analisi chimica qualitativa, CORTINA