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

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article is in list format but may read better as prose. (February 2016) This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2017) The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. (February 2024)

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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• Independent test organization
• Medical test
• Test method