Activity 2: Discuss applications of AAS, ICP-AES and IR in food analysis.

Activity 3: Discuss advantages and disadvantages of AAS, ICP-AES and IR. 

AAS - To determine the percentage of metallic elements in food.

ICP-AES - To determine the presence of toxins, specifically arsenic, in food.

IR - To determine the percentage and presence of macromolecules and to determine the type of compounds in food.

Activity 3
Advantages of AAS, ICP-AES and IR in Food Analysis

AAS - Detection of elements is very sensitive even in smaller samples.

ICP-AES - Able to detect multiple elements at once.

IR - Able to detect and enumerate the components of a sample in a very short time.

Disadvantages of AAS, ICP-AES and IR in Food Analysis

AAS - Detection of elements is easily interrupted by the interferences in the food matrix.

ICP-AES - Less sensitive as compared to AAS in terms of detecting elements.

IR - Requires a very specific setup for each type of food.

AAS- The principle of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is that unbound atoms in the ground state can absorb light of a specific wavelength. Each element's absorption is unique; no other elements absorb this wavelength. The hollow cathode lamp is the most frequent source for atomic absorption studies. A tungsten anode and a cylindrical cathode are positioned in a glass tube filled with an inert gas such as argon. The element to be examined serves as the cathode.

ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry)- An emission spectrophotometric technique that takes advantage of the fact that after being stimulated by high-temperature Argon Plasma, excited electrons emit energy at a specific wavelength when they return to ground state. This process is characterized by the fact that each element emits energy at wavelengths that are unique to its atomic character. Because the electrical structure of the orbital determines the energy transfer for electrons when they return to ground state, each element's energy transfer is unique. 

IR- The absorption of light by a substance in the IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum is detected using IR spectroscopy. A molecule must have a bond within its structure that can exhibit a 'dipole moment,' which means electrons within a bond are not shared equally, in order to absorb light.

AAS- To figure out the percentage of food contains metallic elements.

ICP-AES- It may be used to determine the elemental composition of samples with extreme precision. Plus, it can also be used to quantify the elemental concentration in the sample except for argon.

IR- To determine whether or not a particular sample of an organic substance is identical to another. This is because the IR spectra of organic molecules have a vast number of absorption bands, and the chances of two substances producing identical spectra are essentially zero. As a result, if two compounds have the same IR spectra, they must be samples of the same substance.

Activity 2: Discuss applications of AAS, ICP-AES and IR in food analysis. 

AAS:  

ICP-AES : 
Food 

Environmental 

IR : 

Activity 3: Discuss advantages and disadvantages of AAS, ICP-AES and IR. 
AAS 
Advantages 

Disadvantages 

ICP-AES 
Advantages 

Disadvantages 

IR 
Advantages 

Disadvantages