Standard method for identifying species in solid mixtures

[Dong Aleta]

I want to know of any standard method for identifying (and possibly quantifying) the species contained in a solid mixture sample. Thanks in advance!

 

[Bystander]

Cake mixes? Or, actual/real mixtures?

 

[Kevin McHugh]

I want to know of any standard method for identifying (and possibly quantifying) the species contained in a solid mixture sample. Thanks in advance!

You are SOL. Unless you know a whole lot about your sample. Qualitative identification comes first, then quantitation. Is your sample organic or inorganic or both? What functional groups does it contain. You need a slew of data. You need melt points, boiling points (if applicable). You need solubilities. You need densities. You need spectroscopic data, FTIR, NMR, MS, UV-Vis. You might some form of metals analysis, Flame AA, ICP, XRF, PIXE, SEM.

You need to separate individual components and gather all the data on the individual compounds. Reverse engineering complex mixtures is quite a challenge.

 

[Dong Aleta]

You are SOL. Unless you know a whole lot about your sample. Qualitative identification comes first, then quantitation. Is your sample organic or inorganic or both? What functional groups does it contain. You need a slew of data. You need melt points, boiling points (if applicable). You need solubilities. You need densities. You need spectroscopic data, FTIR, NMR, MS, UV-Vis. You might some form of metals analysis, Flame AA, ICP, XRF, PIXE, SEM.

You need to separate individual components and gather all the data on the individual compounds. Reverse engineering complex mixtures is quite a challenge.

I apologize for not specifying. I want to precipitate hydroxyapatite (HAP) by mixing two solutions of K₂HPO₄ and CaCl₂ at initial pH 9~9.5. I did some literature review and found out that apparently, we know of other calcium phosphate crystals can precipitate other than HAP. But I want to be able to quantify (if possible) how much HAP was precipitated in the resulting precipitate (after filtration and drying).

 

[Dong Aleta]

Cake mixes? Or, actual/real mixtures?

Actually, it's a precipitate after mixing solutions of K₂HPO₄ and CaCl₂, after filtration and drying.