Offered to students admitted to Year 1 in ALL
Major/Minor ALL
Course Type
Offer in 2024 - 2025 Y N
Course Code CHEM3242
Date2024/10/11 20:51
Enquiry for Course Details
CHEM3242 Food and water analysis (6 credits) Academic Year 2024
Offering Department Chemistry Quota 50
Course Co-ordinator Dr K K H Ng, Chemistry < kkhn3@hku.hk >
Teachers Involved (Dr K K H Ng,Chemistry)
Course Objectives To cover areas in the application and new methodology development in analytical chemistry with focus on food and water analysis.
Course Contents & Topics Chemical Analysis in Practicing Laboratories: Use of standard methods, guidelines and standards for food and water analysis; good laboratory practice; reliability and quality issues in chemical analysis.

Food Analysis: Requirement of nutritional labeling; determination of food nutritional value (e.g. total protein content, sodium content); detection of food adulteration and contamination (e.g. presence of banned additives, toxins, undeclared components); recent issues and case studies in food analysis.

Water Analysis: Water quality standards; sampling, pretreatment, storage of water samples; theory and technologies for field, laboratory and automated analysis of selected types of water (e.g. drinking water, recreational water, waste water).

Analytical Method Development: Selection, application and combination of analytical (e.g. sample digestion, solid phase extraction) and instrumental (e.g. GC, LC, MS) techniques for food and water analysis; method validation (e.g. recovery analysis, analysis of certified reference materials)
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

CLO 1 identify and communicate the importance of chemical analysis in ensuring food and water safety, and in safeguarding public health
CLO 2 describe and explain the working principles of the various analytical techniques in food and water analysis using both written and oral formats
CLO 3 analyse and present the strengths and limitations of various analytical techniques and select an appropriate, "fit-for-purpose" method
CLO 4 implement various analytical techniques used in practicing food and water laboratories
CLO 5 collect experimental data, perform subsequent analyses, interpret and present the results to peers using both written and oral formats
Pre-requisites
(and Co-requisites and
Impermissible combinations)		 Pass in CHEM2241 or CHEM2341 or CHEM2441 or CHEM2541.
Please note that School of Biological Sciences stipulates that students who have passed CHEM3242 are not allowed to take BIOL3209 Food and nutrient analysis.
Course Status with Related Major/Minor /Professional Core 2U000C00 Course not offered under any Major/Minor/Professional core
2024 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
Course to PLO Mapping
Offer in 2024 - 2025 Y        2nd sem    Examination May     
Offer in 2025 - 2026 Y
Course Grade A+ to F
Grade Descriptors
A Demonstrate through a thorough grasp of the knowledge and skills required in theory and laboratory work in food and water analysis to acquire accurate results with full interpretation for analytical application as described in all the course learning outcomes. Show strong analytical and critical abilities, logical thinking and capability to apply knowledge learnt to solve a wide range of complex issues and problems related to the analysis of food and water. Apply highly effective organization and presentation skills as shown in class work.
B Demonstrate a substantial command of a broad range of knowledge and skills required for attaining at least most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and critical abilities, logical thinking, and capability to apply knowledge learnt to solve a wide range of complex issues and problems related to the analysis of food and water. Apply effective organization and presentation skills as shown in class work.
C Demonstrate a general command of knowledge and skills required for attaining most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and critical abilities, logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge learnt to solve a wide range of complex issues and problems related to the analysis of food and water. Apply effective organization and presentation skills as shown in class work.
D Demonstrate a partial but limited command of knowledge and skills required for attaining some of the course learning outcomes in Food and Water Analysis. Show evidence of some coherent and logical thinking, but with limited analytical and critical abilities. Show limited ability to apply knowledge to solve problems related to the analysis of food and water. Apply limited or barely effective organization and presentation skill as shown in class work.
Fail Demonstrate little or no evidence for the command of knowledge and skills required for attaining the course learning outcomes. Lack of analytical and critical abilities, logical and coherent thinking. Show very little or no ability to apply knowledge to solve problems related to the analysis of food and water. Organization and presentation skills are minimally effective or ineffective as shown in class work.
Communication-intensive Course Y
Course Type Lecture with laboratory component course
Course Teaching
& Learning Activities
Activities Details No. of Hours
Laboratory 16
Lectures 24
Tutorials 8
Reading / Self study 100
Assessment Methods
and Weighting
Methods Details Weighting in final
course grade (%)		 Assessment Methods
to CLO Mapping
Assignments 10 CLO 1,2,3
Examination 35 CLO 2,3,4
Laboratory reports (experiment & lab report) 25 CLO 1,2,4,5
Presentation (Project with presentation) 20 CLO 1,2,3,5
Test 10 CLO 2,3,4
Required/recommended reading
and online materials		 D. A. Skoog, D. M. West, F. J. Holler, S. R. Crouch: Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry (Cengage Learning, 10e)
D. C. Harris, C. A. Lucy:  Quantitative Chemical Analysis (W. H. Freeman, 10e)
S. S. Nielsen (ed.): Food Analysis (Springer, 5e)
Course Website NIL
Additional Course Information Laboratory classes are mandatory.  Students must complete ALL experiments and laboratory reports to pass this course.
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