News
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Appoints Five New Advisory Board Members
The rotation policy followed for the Advisory Board of ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y brings five new members to the 15-member board. The new members are Donald H. Anderson, Eastman Kodak Co.; Velmer A. Fassel, Iowa State University; Lynn L. Lewis, General Motors; Harry B. Mark, Jr., University of Cincinnati; and Wilbur D. Shults, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The members who are leaving the board after having completed threeyear terms are Allen J. Bard, University of Texas at Austin; David F. Boltz, Wayne State University; Kenneth W. Gardiner, University of California at Riverside; Jack M. Gill, Spectra-Physics; and Oscar Menis, National Bureau of Standards. The 10 members who will continue to serve on the board are Edward G. Brame, Jr., Du Pont Co.; Richard P. Buck, University of North Carolina; Warren B. Crummett, Dow Chemical USA; Merle A. Evenson, University of Wisconsin, Madison; A. F. Findeis, National Science Foundation; Robert F. Hofstader, Exxon Research and Engineering Co.; Marjorie G. Horning, Baylor College of Medicine; Richard S. Juvet, Jr., Arizona State University; Walter C. McCrone, McCrone Research Institute; and Eugene Sawicki, Environmental Protection Agency. The Editorial Advisory Board, which was established in the 1940's to aid the editors, meets formally once a year at the editorial offices in Washington, D.C. However, special consultations and informal contacts at scientific meetings also provide valuable
suggestions on policies and publication programs of the JOURNAL. Past Advisory Board members as well as current members provide help to the editors when special questions and policies come up. Members of the board are a valuable link between the editors and the readers. Brief biographical sketches of the new members appear below.
Donald H. Anderson
Velmer A. Fassel
Donald H. Anderson is director of the Eastman Kodak Co. industrial laboratory at Kodak Park, Rochester, N.Y. He received his BS and PhD degrees from the University of Washington in 1938 and 1943, respectively. Dr. Anderson has been associated with Kodak since 1947. In earlier years he devised analytical methods to control chemicals and processes involved with Kodachrome and Kodacolor products and was supervisor of the spectroscopy section. He has published papers in the areas of electrochemistry, corrosion, infrared spectroscopy, and emission spectrography and has recently become interested in trace element analysis in biological materials and in micro particulate characteristics of environmental pollution. He was awarded the 1974 distinguished service award for outstanding achievement in analytical chemistry, presented jointly by the Western New York section of the American Chemical Society and the Niagara Frontier section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. Under Dr. Anderson's direction, the Kodak laboratory has grown from 50 to over 200 professional scientists and technical support people. Lynn L. Lewis
Velmer A. Fassel is deputy director of the Ames Laboratory-ERDA and the Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute at Iowa State University and is also a professor of chemistry. Dr. Fassel received his PhD degree in physical chemistry from Iowa State University in 1947. Previously, he had received his BA degree at Southeast Missouri State University. He is the author of 140 publications on various aspects of atomic emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular spectra and structure, and high-temperature analytical chemistry. He has received five major awards: the Annual Medal Award of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy in 1964, the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh Award in 1969, the Hasler Award and Anachem Award in 1971, and a special gold medal presented by the journal Spectrochimica Acta in appreciation for his service as coeditor for 13 years. Dr. Fassel has served as titular member, secretary, and chairman of the IUPAC Commission Spectrochemical Methods of Analysis. In 1967 he was appointed to the Joint Commission on Spectroscopy, International Council of Scientific Unions. He has lectured extensively in foreign countries, including a three-week tour in Japan in 1962 and five lectures in South Africa in February 1972. The Optical Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have elected Dr. Fassel to Fellow membership. His current research interests are atomic emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy, especially their analyti-
Harry B. Mark, Jr.
Wilbur D. Shults
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 48, NO. 1, JANUARY 1976 · 39 A
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cal applications, X-ray excited optical luminescence, and other ultratrace analytical techniques. Lynn L. Lewis is assistant head of the Analytical Chemistry Department, Research Laboratories, General Motors Corp. In 1955 he earned a PhD degree in chemistry from the University of Tennessee. His professional fields of interest include chemical separations, trace analysis, gaseous elements in metals, radioisotopic applications, the automation of laboratory instruments, and environmental analytical methodology. He has written 20 technical papers and chapters in books and recently coedited a book on determining hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen in metals. Before joining GM in 1966, he held research positions at Westinghouse Electric Corp., International Business Machines Corp., and U.S. Steel Corp. He is a member of the ACS, SAS, Anachems, and Sigma Xi, and ASTM Committees on Chemical Analysis of Metals (E-3) and Water (D-19). Harry B. Mark, Jr., is professor of chemistry and chairman of the Analytical Division of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati. He received a BA in 1956 from the University of Virginia and a PhD (with W. C. Vasburgh) from Duke University in 1960. He did postdoctoral studies at the University of North Carolina (with C. N. Rielley) and the California Institute of Technology (with F. C. Anson). Prof. Mark taught at the University of Michigan from 1963 to 1969 and was a visiting professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in 1970. In 1970 he moved to the University of Cincinnati. Prof. Mark is coauthor of the books "Kinetics in Analytical Chemistry", "Activated Carbon; Surface Chemistry and Adsorption from Solution", and "Simplified Circuit Analysis: Digital-Analog Logic" and is coeditor of the monograph series "Computers in Chemistry and Instrumentation" and the book "Computer Assisted Chemical Research Design". His research interests include electrochemistry, surface phenomena, kinetics, environmental analysis and instrumentation. Wilbur D. Shults is associate director of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He received BA and MS degrees from Emory University in 1950
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and 1951, respectively, and the PhD from Indiana University in 1966. He joined the ORNL Analytical Chemistry Division in 1951 as a junior chemist and held various chemical and management positions before assuming his present position in February 1975. He served with the U.S. Army Chemical Corps from 1955 to 1957 and held a U.S. Atomic Energy Fellowship for Doctoral Study from 1962-1964. His main research interests are in electroanalytical chemistry, instrumentation, chromatography, and spectroscopy. He is author and coauthor of approximately 75 technical publications in these areas, including three book chapters and two patents, and he is editor of one book. He is currently active in the analytical aspects of environmental and energy-related research. Dr. Shults is active in Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma Xi, the American Chemical Society, and the Analytical Chemistry Division of ACS. He is currently secretary of the ACS Analytical Division Fellowship Committee. He has also served on two panels for the National Academy of Sciences and has been a member of several ASTM committees.
Analytical Problems: Workshop and Training Conference The Association of Official Analytical Chemists will hold its first regional Spring Workshop and Training Conference May 10 to 12, 1976, at the Executive Tower Inn, Denver, Colo. Five simultaneous working sessions on various analytical problem areas will take place during 2% days. Science students, new analysts, and experienced chemical and microbiological analysts should find the sessions useful. Tentative subject areas include modern instrumental techniques, automated fertilizer analysis, microbiological and related feed methods, nutrition in feed and food, statistical applications, mycotoxins, forensic microscopy methods, chemical microscopy, and highpressure liquid chromatography. Persons interested in participating in the program are invited to contact Τ. Ο. Meiggs, National Field Investigation Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 53, Denver, Colo. 80225. 303-2344661 The conference will be open to all interested persons. Registration will be on Sunday afternoon and evening, May 9. The registration fee is $10. Re gional chairman and the person to contact for further information is C. E. Jones, State Dept. of Agriculture, Denver, Colo. 80211. 303-892-2835
Analytical Chemistry at Work Food Industry Problems Analytical chemistry is becoming increasingly important in the food industry. Food Technology, a publication of the Institute of Food Technologists which held its annual meeting in June 1975 in Chicago, 111., summarizes in the Oct. 1975 issue some of the papers presented at a symposium, "Consumer Concerns Affecting Food Science". One of the main topics that crept into the presentations and discussions again and again is the Federal regulations instituted regarding nutrition labeling and health and safety. These concerns are natural enough since they make demands on the food industry. An example is afforded in a talk by James J. Albrecht, vice-president, technical management of Libby McNeill & Libby, who spoke on the cost of regulations to the food industry. On nutrition labeling he says, "Nutrition labeling has certainly resulted in greatly increased workloads for the analytical chemistry departments of food companies. At Libby's, we estimate that more than $750,000 was spent on the initial nutritional analyses required for the proper labeling of 31 of our products. More importantly, on an on-going basis, it is costing us more than $300,000 a year to monitor these products to make certain that nutritional data on the label are correct and within the enforcement guidelines set up by the Food and Drug Administration." The industry is rightfully concerned about the costs and has valid arguments for suggesting some changes and realignments in Federal regulations. Nevertheless, it seems certain that the modern well-informed consumer requires content and safety assurances that can be provided only by adequate analyses. This provides a new challenge to analytical chemists to devise better, more rapid, and less expensive methods to achieve these goals.
printed, and with a more sophisticated computer system, more sensitivity can be expected. Substances determined include phosphates, nitrates, and sulfates but not organic oils, which are analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. The system used by the URI team experimentally could be set up for under $25,000. In another part of the study program at URI, work continues with U.S. Coast Guard grant money to provide a computerized library of fingerprints of weathered oil from various sources and a system developed to match spilled oil with its correct source.
Environmental Laboratory B. F. Goodrich has established a self-contained environmental laboratory at its research and development center in Brecksville, Ohio, to provide analytical service and determine the efficiency of corrective procedures for all divisions of the company. Paul M. Zakriski, section leader, believes that industry in general will place even more emphasis on advancing the state of the art and quickening the response of instrumentation and technology to deal with environmental problems. He predicts that "Analytical capabilities related to pollution can be located at each plant site and be so specific and
so rapid that pollution problems will eventually be reduced to a quality control function". The lab has been licensed at the Center for Disease Control, HEW, as a clinical laboratory to conduct analyses on biological samples for medical diagnosis. It is equipped with the most advanced atomic absorption spectrometer to measure metals in air, water, blood, etc., and gas chromatographs interfaced with a computer for detection of specific kinds of air and water pollution. The environmental lab also has access to the latest analytical instrumentation used at the research facility to aid in its work. The lab is, however, dedicated to field work which involves collecting samples for the lab to analyze, but also taking the lab to the plant site when necessary. A computer-controlled X-ray fluorescence spectrometer system is in use for the detection of pollutants in wastewater. This system is designed to play a key role in monitoring the purity of wastewater discharges from all of the company's facilities. In operation, after loading the sample and pressing a button, the instrument calibrates itself, performs all necessary calculations, and determines the elemental composition of the sample. Trace metals can be detected down to 1 ppb, and printout of results is immediate. Control of the system is tied in with IBM 1800 and 1130 computers.
Pollutants in Water The University of Rhode Island (URI) reports that a team consisting of Christopher Brown, Patricia Lynch, Mark Ahmadjian, and Carl Baer has developed a laser technique to fingerprint 25 contaminants in water. The team has monitored Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River and found chlorinated hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, and tar flakes. In the method the laser is beamed into the water, and the reflected light analyzed. Hazardous materials down to a level as low as 5 ppm have been finger-
Vinyl chloride detection is one of the concerns of Goodrich's environmental lab. Richard D. Hardesty, research assistant, is shown using a syringe and a solution containing vinyl chloride gas as a step in the procedure ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 48, NO. 1, JANUARY 1976 · 41 A
News Industrial Hygiene Laboratory An industrial hygiene laboratory at PPG Industries Chemical Division technical center in Barberton, Ohio, has earned accreditation from the American Industrial Hygiene Associa tion (AIHA). Fewer than 60 laborato ries have certified under AIHA's pro gram. The accreditation recognizes the strict standards maintained in providing environmental test data. Sampling ranges from the employee's environment, such as the air he breathes, to blood and urine testing for potential toxic or hazardous mate rials. Chemical substances not now covered by Environmental Protection Agency regulations are dealt with by the development of standards and monitoring procedures at the facility. This lab assists other PPG plants in special analyses. The hygiene lab has the full capabilities of the technical center at its disposal including both gas chromatography and mass spec trometry. Part of the accreditation program requires trace analyses of a series of unidentified samples from AIHA. Correct identifications are made for metals such as lead and cad mium, asbestos fibers (by count), and crystalline quartz. The proficiency testing is conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Certification re quires continued participation in NIOSH's testing program. The PPG Barberton complex produces chlorine, caustic soda, silica pigments, fine chemicals, and hydrogen peroxide.
Sample Preparation Scientists at the Institute of Gas Technology in Chicago are using a low-temperature plasma asher made by International Plasma Corp. to pre pare samples of oil shale and coal for trace element analysis. The asher oxi dizes the organic material at tempera tures ranging from 95° to 100° C; the resulting ash can be analyzed for more than 30 different elements by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In an other application of low-temperature plasma ashing, scientists at Utah State University, in a study of the me tabolism of zinc and chromium in per sons with senile diabetes, ash samples of a diabetic's blood and hair and tis sue specimens from experimental ani mals to determine Cr and Zn by AA. Deloy Hendricks, professor in the De partment of Nutrition and Food
Science at Utah State, says several lines of evidence have led him to focus on dietary chromium and zinc in his research. Both metals seem to be im plicated in both the physiology of in sulin and the metabolism of glucose.
Vitamin Ε Determination For the determination of vitamin E, a new method devised by S. R. Ames at Eastman Kodak has been officially adopted by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The method distinguishes between natu rally occurring vitamin Ε and synthe tically produced vitamin E. Natural vitamin Ε is about 46% more potent than the synthetic; therefore, it is im portant to know the source of the vita min. The basis of the new method is the fact that only natural vitamin Ε when treated with potassium ferricyanide produces an oxidation product with an optical rotation large enough to measure or use for analytical pur poses. Synthetic vitamin Ε produces an oxidation product with no optical rotation. Procedures for vitamin Ε have been complicated by the interfer ence of other similarly structured compounds and the minute amounts usually present in natural foods. The Ames method is now the standard for both AOAC and international agen cies.
SEM in Petroleum Research Harry C. Becker has published a 20-page article entitled "Scanning Electron Microscopy" in the JulySeptember 1975 issue of Texaco's publication Lubrication. He discusses the characteristics and applications of the scanning electron microscope and compares it to optical and transmis sion microscopes. Its application in a petroleum research laboratory to problems connected with corrosion, used bearings, deposits, catalysts, and metallurgy is covered. Copies are available from Texaco, Inc., Public Relations Div., 135 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017.
Lubrication Problems D-A Lubricants, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., has been offering analytical ser vices to its customers for about 15 years. These services are performed without charge for those customers under contract to D-A to supply all of the lubricants for their equipment, such as construction vehicles, mining equipment, diesel generators, and other heavy machinery. At various geographic locations in the U.S., the company maintains six Varian atomic absorption spectrophotometers to an alyze samples of oil and grease from
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1976
equipment. By comparing the amounts of metals and silica in lubri cants, the company's chemists can de tect excessive wear, contamination, and other operating problems. Other analyses, in addition to the wear met als Fe, Al, Cu, Cr, and Sn, are per formed and indicate other contamina tion problems. Examples are en trained water, suspended carbon par ticles, ethylene glycol contamination, and silica. A computer system con tains previous data collected so that data on new samples can be compared to indicate trends and extraordinary values. The computer printout goes to the customer. The printed report cov ers the new sample and the preceding six samples and includes comments, based on the data, inserted by the computer. Typical comments might be that everything looks well; there is twice as much iron in the current sam ple as in the last one; or the oil is much dirtier than in earlier samples. A serious problem will prompt a call or telegram from D-A to the customer.
Call for Papers Symposium on Thermal Analysis Test Methods Princeton, N.J. June 21-22. Also gen eral papers are solicited on thermal analysis. Sponsors: North American Thermal Analysis Society and Ameri can Society for Testing and Materials E-37. 200-word abstracts for test methods symposium are due before Apr. 1 to R. L. Blaine, Du Pont Instru ments, Concord Plaza, Wilmington, Del. 19898, 302-772-5131. General pa pers to J. P. Schelz, Johnson & John son, West Research, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903. 201-524-5518 ASTM Symposium on Quality Con trol: Sampling, Testing, and Specifications Ottawa, Canada. Sept. 29. Sponsors: American Society for Testing and Ma terials Committees E-2 on Emission Spectroscopy, E-3 on Chemical Analy sis of Metals, and E-16 on Sampling and Analysis of Metal-Bearing Ores and Related Materials. Title and ab stract with ASTM offer form due by Mar. 15 to G. D. Haines, St. Joe Min erals Corp., Main St., Nerculaneum, Mo. 63048. 314-369-5311 International Symposium on Quan titative Mass Spectrometry in Life Sciences Rijksuniversiteit Gent, Belgium. June 17-18. Abstracts (4 copies) due by Feb. 1 to A. De Leenheer, Academisch Ziekenhuis, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, 135, De Pintelaan, B-9000 Gent, Bel gium. Official language is English.
