Editorial pubs.acs.org/ac
Cite This: Anal. Chem. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
A Resource for Our Reagents: ACS Reagent Chemicals
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cable test methods. Users can also access historic versions of the specifications and methods, with each one containing clear indicators for expired and current content as well as a permanent URL for the current version.3 While most of us may not give much thought to CAR, its work is important and contributes not only to the success of our scientific research but also to ensure safety in manufacturing. I appreciate the efforts of the volunteers at CAR and of the ACS for improving the quality of the chemicals we use in our measurements.
hen I think about how the ACS has impacted my professional life, it is their scientific publications, meetings, and professional services that immediately come to mind. As a research scientist, I do not often consider how the ACS has improved the quality of the chemicals and reagents used by my laboratory. Of course, I know that when my group uses a solvent marked ACS Reagent grade, this means that the chemical conforms to specifications defined by the ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents (CAR).1 Thinking about this from my perspective as Editor of Analytical Chemistry and the articles we publish on a range of techniques, from sensors, electrochemistry, separations, spectroscopy, and other fields, I realize that all of these approaches have something in common. Their successful application depends on the purity and quality of the reagents used. Deciding to look a little deeper into how CAR operates, I learned that they create the de facto standards for chemicals used in many high-purity applications. These standards are referenced by the U.S. Pharmacopeia and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and are indexed by SciFinder. CAR may be the only group in the world that establishes requirements and develops validated test methods to determine the purity of reagent-grade chemicals. This all-volunteer committeecomprised of members with industrial, academic, and governmental backgroundsprovides independent verifications of chemical methods, tests, and specifications. Prior to the establishment of CAR, scientists had no way to easily determine the purity of a chemical. Standards varied from manufacturer to manufacturer, often with no specifications in common. From the first chemical standard published in 1925 in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry to the standards entitled ACS Reagent Chemicals, the goal has been to provide an easy way for chemists to look up a chemical’s purity. Today, the standards encompass nearly 500 reagent-grade chemicals and more than 500 standard-grade reference materials, along with test methods for verification purposes. These specifications and methods are under continuous review by CAR, and they recently released the latest round of supplements and updates.2 More importantly, ACS Reagent Chemicals is now available via a new electronic platform, integrating these updates directly onto each specification or methoda much easier tool for staying current than having to print pages of listed changes and reconcile them with the originals pages. The new digital version, based on the 11th edition in print, is designed to look familiar to ACS readers and be easily accessible to all, as it mirrors the look and feel of an online ACS journal. Unlike prior versions that were structured like reference books, the new platform is now a searchable database, making it is easy to find detailed information on the measurement tests that are used to certify each specification. Looking at the entry for acetonitrile, for example, you will find the exact specifications required to certify the chemical, a listing of the appropriate analytical tests for each specification, and more importantly, hyperlinks to additional information and appli© XXXX American Chemical Society
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Jonathan V. Sweedler AUTHOR INFORMATION
ORCID
Jonathan V. Sweedler: 0000-0003-3107-9922 Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily the views of the ACS.
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REFERENCES
(1) Tyner, T. C&EN 2017, 95, 34 DOI: 10.1021/cen-09532comment. (2) An example of the older list-style Supplements and Updates can be found on the ACS Reagent Chemicals Supplements and Updates page: https://pubs.acs.org/page/reagents/supplements-updates. In this new online platform, all of these updates have been integrated into the appropriate specification or method. (3) Carlson, A. ACS Reagent Chemicals Releases Its First Major Update, ACS Axial, 2018, http://axial.acs.org/2018/02/15/acs-reagentchemicals/ (accessed April 13, 2018).
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DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b01729 Anal. Chem. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
