When an element is analyzed for its elemental properties, it is known as Elemental Analysis. This is a process that uses a sample of material, and this sample is analyzed for its elemental and very often isotopic composition.

By using this process, the elements that are present can be determined; this is known as ‘qualitative’, and the process can also determine how much of each element is present and this is known as ‘quantitative’.

This is a part of analytical chemistry, and this means the set of instruments involved in deciphering the chemical nature of the world.

Organic chemists use elemental analysis, and for them this generally refers to CHNX analysis. CHNX analysis refers to the determination of the percent weights of;

or Hydrogen
oCarbon
or Halogens
Nitrogen
or Heteroatoms

This type of information is very important and helps to determine the structures of the compounds, and also to know the purity and structure of a synthesized compound.

As mentioned above, ‘quantitative’ analysis is the determination of the amount of each element present and some of the quantitative methods used may be;

o Optical atomic spectroscopy (atomic absorption in flame and atomic absorption in graphite furnace).
or Gravimetry. (a sample is dissolved and the element is precipitated)

Methods for qualitative analysis may include;

o Sodium fusion test
o Mass spectrometric atomic spectroscopy
o Particle-induced X-ray emission
o X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The results of any analysis are carried out by determining the proportion of elements found in the sample and then working out a chemical formula that fits those results. Elemental analysis is extremely useful in determining the purity of a desired compound within a sample.

Analyzing the results can be very long and tedious and different tools have been designed specifically to carry out some processes, such as the Solvent Correction CHN Calculator and the Chemical Composition Calculator.