Chemical test

thumb|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

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

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Non-performing asset

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Biochemical tests

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

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

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

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

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.
Chemical tests for cyanide test for the presence of cyanide, CN<sup>−</sup>
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