A modern NMR spectrometer has the exquisite property that the data is inherently quantitative. By following a few experimental guidelines, good accuracy and precision are routinely obtainable. Though quantification by NMR is most commonly done using proton, in principal many spin ½ nuclei could also be used. A unique aspect of quantification using NMR is that typically no chemistry needs to be done up front on the molecule and response factors do not need to be cataloged – Simply put the analyte into solution and record the results. Therefore, qNMR is a non-destructive analytical technique.
The approach to quantitative analysis with qNMR data depends upon how precise an answer is needed. Experimental details also become more critical as higher sub-percent accuracy is required. If an accuracy of a few percent are sufficient for the problem at hand not much is needed except a routine spectrum and a result from a similar sample of know concentration as an external reference. There are many software tools to allow results for either traditional integration or direct time-domain amplitude extraction such as CRAFT which virtually eliminate operator bias or skill from the all-important data analysis part or the qNMR process.