Chemical test

Procedure for identifying or quantifying a chemical compound or group

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Person performing a chemical test, 1940

In chemistry, a chemical test is a qualitative or quantitative procedure designed to identify, quantify, or characterise a chemical compound or chemical group.

## Purposes

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Chemical testing might have a variety of purposes, such as to:

* Determine if, or verify that, the requirements of a specification, regulation, or contract are met
* Decide if a new product development program is on track: Demonstrate proof of concept
* Demonstrate the utility of a proposed patent
* Determine the interactions of a sample with other known substances
* Determine the composition of a sample
* Provide standard data for other scientific, medical, and Quality assurance functions
* Validate suitability for end-use
* Provide a basis for Technical communication
* Provide a technical means of comparison of several options
* Provide evidence in legal proceedings

## Biochemical tests

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* Clinistrips quantitatively test for sugar in urine
* The Kastle-Meyer test tests for the presence of hemoglobin
* Salicylate testing is a category of drug testing that is focused on detecting salicylates such as acetylsalicylic acid for either biochemical or medical purposes.
* The Phadebas test tests for the presence of saliva for forensic purposes
* Iodine solution tests for starch
* The Van Slyke determination tests for specific amino acids
* The Zimmermann test tests for ketosteroids
* Seliwanoff's test differentiates between aldose and ketose sugars
* Test for lipids: add ethanol to sample, then shake; add water to the solution, and shake again. If fat is present, the product turns milky white.
* The Sakaguchi test detects the presence of arginine in protein
* The Hopkins–Cole reaction tests for the presence of tryptophan in proteins
* The nitroprusside reaction tests for the presence of free thiol groups of cysteine in proteins
* The Sullivan reaction tests for the presence of cysteine and cystine in proteins
* The Acree–Rosenheim reaction tests for the presence of tryptophan in proteins
* The Pauly reaction tests for the presence of tyrosine or histidine in proteins
* Heller's test tests for the presence of albumin in urine
* Gmelin's test tests for the presence of bile pigments in urine
* Hay's test tests for the presence of bile pigments in urine

### Reducing sugars

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Main article: Reducing sugar

* Barfoed's test tests for reducing polysacchorides or disaccharides
* Benedict's reagent tests for reducing sugars or aldehydes
* Fehling's solution tests for reducing sugars or aldehydes, similar to Benedict's reagent
* Molisch's test tests for carbohydrates
* Nylander's test tests for reducing sugars
* Rapid furfural test distinguishes between glucose and fructose

### Proteins and polypeptides

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* The bicinchoninic acid assay tests for proteins
* The Biuret test tests for proteins and polypeptides
* Bradford protein assay measures protein quantitatively
* The Phadebas amylase test determines alpha-amylase activity

## Organic tests

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* The carbylamine reaction tests for primary amines
* The esterification reaction tests for the presence of alcohol and/or carboxylic acids
* The Griess test tests for organic nitrite compounds
* The 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine tests for carbonyl compounds
* The iodoform reaction tests for the presence of methyl ketones, or compounds which can be oxidized to methyl ketones
* The Schiff test detects aldehydes
* Tollens' reagent tests for aldehydes (known as the silver mirror test)
* The Zeisel determination tests for the presence of esters or ethers
* Lucas' reagent is used to distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols.
* The bromine test is used to test for the presence of unsaturation and phenols.

## Inorganic tests

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* Barium chloride tests for sulfates
* Acidified silver nitrate solution tests for halide ions
* The Beilstein test tests for halides qualitatively
* The bead test tests for certain metals
* The Carius halogen method measures halides quantitatively.[1]
* Chemical tests for cyanide test for the presence of cyanide, CN−
* Copper sulfate tests for the presence of water
* Flame tests test for metals
* The Gilman test tests for the presence of a Grignard reagent
* The Kjeldahl method quantitatively determines the presence of nitrogen
* Nessler's reagent tests for the presence of ammonia
* Ninhydrin tests for ammonia or primary amines
* Phosphate tests test for phosphate
* The sodium fusion test tests for the presence of nitrogen, sulfur, and halides in a sample
* The Zerewitinoff determination tests for any acidic hydrogen
* The Oddy test tests for acid, aldehydes, and sulfides
* Gunzberg's test tests for the presence of hydrochloric acid
* Kelling's test tests for the presence of lactic acid

## See also

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* Independent test organization
* Medical test
* Test method

## References

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1. ^ Niederl, J. B.; Baum, H.; McCoy, J. S.; Kuck, J. A. (1940). "Micro-Carius Halogen and Sulphur Determination". Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Analytical Edition. 12 (7): 428–431\. doi:10.1021/ac50147a022. ISSN 0096-4484.