Analytical Chemistry

Character of the Discipline

Analytical chemistry is a natural science field that is based not only on all the chemical disciplines, but also on physics, biology, information theory and many technical disciplines. It provides information on the identity, structure and amount of components of natural and man-made objects and on their distribution in space and time. It cooperates with other natural science fields in searching for connections between the chemical composition of substances and their properties. It is an applied multidisciplinary field with many feedbacks, accenting teamwork in solution of problems. Mastering of the principles of a number of disciplines is required, primarily of general and physical chemistry, inorganic and organic chemistry and biochemistry, physics and mathematics, and, primarily, the obtaining of a deep knowledge of the theoretical background of classical analytical chemistry and modern instrumental analytical methods. In view of the experimental character of the field, practical capabilities and habits play an important role.

Applications for the Study

The conditions for acceptance to the PhD study involve applicant´s completion of a MSc or an equivalent study in analytical chemistry or a related subject, and successful passing of entrance examination, in which the applicant is asked questions dealing with analytical chemistry and his language capabilities are tested with emphasis on the English.

The topics of the PhD theses are agreed between the applicant and a member of the Department - a potential supervisor - prior to the entrance examination. The problems studied by the members of the Department can be found in the Departmental www pages. The experimental part of the PhD study is often carried out at other institutions, most often at the institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Part of the study may take place abroad.

The Study Duties of the PhD Students at the Department of Analytical Chemistry

(These duties must be fulfilled prior to application to the state doctoral examination)
a) Successful passing of at least 4 examinations in selected subjects. The subjects are determined, on the basis of an agreement between the student and his supervisor, from curricula of all the chemical departments of the Faculty of Science and from curricula of other universities in the country or abroad; the selected subjects must be approved by the Board.

b) Successful passing of a certified examination in the English language, e.g., FCE (evaluation A, B, C), Toefl (at least 180 points).

c) Once a year, presentation of the results obtained at a seminar of PhD students, conducted in the English.

d) Yearly evaluation of the student work, both from the point of view of the study duties, and from that of the progress in the preparation of the PhD thesis and the publication activity; the evaluation is carried out electronically.

Other Duties of the Full-time PhD students

a) Participation in the Department activities, at least 5 hours a weak (e.g., help in supervision of basic undergraduate laboratory courses).

b) Help with Departmental and Faculty activities (e.g., undergraduate entrance examinations, the Faculty open day to wide public).

Conditions for Application for PhD Thesis Defence

A student can apply for his PhD thesis defence only after passing his state doctor examination. The results of student’s work must be published (or accepted for publication) prior to the defence in at least two papers in impacted specialized journals. If there are more authors, they must provide a statement specifying the contribution of the PhD student.

Research at the Department of Analytical Chemistry which is Entered by the PhD Students

The research at the Department of Analytical Chemistry is directed toward electroanalysis, optical analytical methods and, primarily, to separations. However, individual research topics are mostly complex, i.e., involve combinations of the above directions. In greater detail (found also in the Departmental www pages, see above), the research can be summarized as follows:

Studies of electrochemical reactions of organic compounds and applications of the study results to voltammetric and polarographic detection and determination of biologically, pharmaceutically, ecologically and toxicologically important organic compounds. These problems are also connected with studies of the relationships between the structure of substances and their physico-chemical properties.

Development and testing of sensors and detectors for use in microseparation methods and for detection of substances in the gaseous phase, using primarily electrochemical , but also optical approaches.

Development of methods and techniques for sample pretreatment and decomposition of biological materials prior to spectral analysis and the use of the results obtained in determination of elements in biological (but also inorganic) materials, mostly by atomic absorption spectrometry methods.

Use of spectrophotometric methods in pharmaceutical and environmental analysis, often in combination with flow analytical methods, e.g., flow-injection analysis.

Development and use of high-performance separation methods (gas chromatography, liquid column and capillary chromatography, capillary electrophoresis) for separations and determination of substances in complex mixtures, for chiral separations and separations of biologically active molecules. Connected is the development of new stationary phases, mainly for the preparation of monolithic capillary columns. Separation methods are very often required in analyses of real samples and thus are used for the purpose in combination with electrochemical, optical and mass spectrometric detection methods.

PhD theses finished since 2000 (with their original titles)

• Free analyte atom distribution, reactions and analyte reatomization in quartz tube hydride atomizers for atomic absorption spectrometry.

• Využití cyklodextrinů a jejich nově syntetizovaných derivátů v kapilární elektroforéze.
  Příspěvek ke stanovení nitroderivátů a aminoderivátů naftalenu a bifenylu kapalinovou chromatografií.
• Reverse stationary phases for peptide analysis: Column testing, classification and selection.
  Voltametrie s vybranými typy stříbrných, kompozitních stříbrných a zlatých elektrod.
• Determination of genotoxic derivatives and metabolites of pyrene.
• Elektrochemické sensory s uhlíkovou indikační elektrodou.
• Utilization of contactless conductivity detection technoque in capillary electrophoresis with organic solvents.
• Elektrochemické generování těkavých sloučenin v metodě atomové absorpční spektrometrie.
• Elektrochemická oxidace sirných a dusíkatých farmaceuticky aktivních látek v nevodném prostředí.
• Bezkontaktní vodivostní detektor pro kapilární elektroforézu.
• Využití laserové spektroskopie při studiu atmosférického znečištění.
• Assessment of cadmium and lead in human serum and blood by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry.
• Studium elektrosorpčního chování a mechanismů vybraných voltametricky aktivních komplexů V, Mo, U a Cr.
• Sorpce vodní páry a vybraných těžkých kovů na bentonitech a jílových materiálech.
• A contribution to the determination of naphthalene and its amino, hydroxy and nitro derivatives using HPLC and CZE.
• Polarographic and voltammetric determination of genotoxic dinitronaphthalenes.
• Detektory pro kapilární elektroforézu.
• Nové bezkontaktní vodivostní cely s drátkovými elektrodami pro detekci v průtokové analýze.
• Studium sensorických vlastností porézního křemíku.
• Elektrochemické vlastnosti TiO₂ - anatasové elektrody.
• An application of chemical analytical methods in the study of art objects.
• Hodnocení cizorodých látek pro toxikologické a farmakologické účely.
• Stanovení perzistentních organohalogenových polutantů metodou GC/MS/MS.
• Hydrofilní polymerní materiály pro kapilární elektroforetické metody.

Subject-area Board

The subject-area board is available in Czech (Oborová rada). The Chairman is highlighted.