Many laboratories often apply filter paper as a filter medium to separate solutions from solids. Nowadays, filter paper is generally divided into quantitative analysis filter paper, qualitative analysis filter paper, and chromatographic qualitative analysis filter paper. Here introduce some differences between qualitative filter paper and quantitative filter paper.
Difference between Qualitative Filter Paper and Quantitative Filter Paper:
Quantitative vs qualitative filter paper in the definition:
- Qualitative filter paper definition:
- Qualitative filter paper When referring to “qualitative analysis filter paper”, qualitative analysis filter paper is relative to quantitative analysis filter paper and chromatographic qualitative analysis filter paper.
- Qualitative filter paper is a kind of paper with good filtering performance, loose texture, and strong liquid absorption capacity.
- Quantitative filter paper definition:
- Quantitative filter paper is mainly used for ashing and gravimetric analysis experiments after filtration
- That is gravimetric analysis tests and corresponding analysis tests in quantitative chemical analysis. The ash weight of each filter paper after ashing is a fixed value.
Quantitative vs qualitative filter paper in the use:
- Qualitative filter paper use:
- For many experiments, such as qualitative chemical analyses and corresponding filtration separation, people often use qualitative filter paper.
- Generally used for filtration of solutions and is used for qualitative tests such as chloride and sulfate that do not require calculated values;
- Quantitative filter paper use:
- While quantitative filter paper, like 41 filter paper, is used to filter accurately calculated values, such as the determination of residues, insoluble, etc., which needs to be entered into a high-temperature furnace.
- quantitative filter paper is used for gravimetric analysis tests and corresponding analysis tests in quantitative chemical analysis.
- The concept of quantitative filter paper and qualitative filter paper is unique to cellulose filter paper and is not applicable to other types of filter paper such as glass microfiber filter paper.
Tips for Using Qualitative and Quantitative Filter Papers:

The types and specifications of the qualitative analysis filter paper are basically the same as those of the quantitative analysis filter paper, which means fast, medium, and slow, but are printed with the words fast, medium, and slow. However, there is no instruction on the box containing the filter paper to use quantitative and qualitative analysis filter paper to filter the precipitate. Attention should be paid to:
- For natural filtration, using the filter paper body and the ability to retain solid particles to separate the liquid and solid,
- Because the mechanical strength and toughness of the filter paper are relatively small, the method of suction filtration should be used as little as possible. If the filtration speed must be accelerated, in order to prevent filtration failure caused by filtration, when the air pump is filtration, it can be stacked in the funnel according to the suction force. Put 2-3 layers of filter paper, when using vacuum filtration, put a layer of dense filter cloth on the funnel first, and then put filter paper on it for filtration;
- The filter paper should not filter hot concentrated sulfuric acid or nitric acid.