微量化学(Microchemistry)并不是什么新鲜的花样。它与普通化学所不同的地方,是在于它所研究或分析的样品,都是很微小的份量,微小到普通的天秤不易衡量,微小到普通的实验仪器不能顺利适用。这种微量化学所应用的范畴,现在大抵系用以分析若干遭受了锈蚀、侵蚀(Corrosion)或斑污(Tarnish)的物体的表层。这些表层的厚度非常微薄;在将它们刮下之后,倘使要采用普通化学方法来分析,则因样品太小的缘故,它们真正的成份也许永远不能发现。因此,微量化学分析才得应运而生。 Microchemistry is not a new trick. It differs from general chemistry institutes in that the samples it studies or analyzes are all very small quantities. Tiny to ordinary scales are not easy to measure, and tiny to ordinary experimental instruments cannot be applied smoothly. This category of microchemistry is now mostly used to analyze the surface of a number of objects that have been corroded, corrosive, or stained (Tarnish). The thickness of these surface layers is very thin; after they are scraped, if ordinary chemical methods are used for analysis, their true ingredients may never be found due to the small sample size. Therefore, microchemical analysis came into being.