CHARLES
V. BANKS AND ROBERT F. SlECK
Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010
The Relevance of Grad
F ASALYTICSL CHEMISTRY is a fadI i n g discipline as has recently been suggested, then one might say that the question of relerance has already been settled. W e do not think that this is the case. however, for we are convinced that the discipline of analytical chemistry finds itself not in its waning years but rather on the threshold of an increasingly significant involvement on a broad front. This involvement Ivill be not just with chemists. but Kith people froin many disciplines who are attacking some of the critical probleiiis of our time. I n a recent guest editorial, Professor Frank Westlieimer stated: “Today. the cry is for relevance, and chemistry is supremely relerant. The knoxn problems that face society include population control, cure of disease, inaintenaiice of food supply, derelopment of new materials, and control of pollution. I t would be somewhat of an exaggeration to say that these are chemical problems. But it would be a gross exaggeration to say that chemistry is not required for their sohtion.” ( 1 ) . V e agree with Professor V e s t heimer and would go on to suggest that analytical chemistry will be a t the forefront in this endeavor. T o tackle the problems of our time, we need problem solvers, and the discipline of analytical chemistry is one which can deveIop that type of per-
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son. This is the basis for the broad involvement of the analytical chemist. As Dr. Stuart P. Cram has recently stated: “A very broad field in scope, analytical chemistry represents a large fraction of the research and development effort of the chemistry profession because it is 50 relevant and so pertinent to the work of all experimental chemists.” “In this decade, research efforts will be directed toward solving the problems a t hand. . . . analytical chemistry should be a t the forefront of research, solving the problems of today.” ( 2 ) . There are those who recently seem to have been intent on questioning the relevance of analytical chemistry. Others have stated quite bluntly that the discipline of analytical chemistry is on the way out. It would seem however, that it is more common to see statements which might be paraphrased as follows: “Cheniical analysis is fundamental to the needs of many areas of science, engineering, medicine, and even the arts and humanities.” Apparently much of the criticism of the discipline of analytical chemistry has been more concerned tyith the issue of nomenclature than with the issue of the nature of the discipline itself. We do not wish to enter the debate concerning what the Tvork commonly associated with analytical chemistry should be called. It is the a c t k i t y of the ana-
ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y , VOL. 42, NO. 14, D E C E M B E R 1970
lytical chemist which is the important factor. not the name the activity goes by. It is not difficult to find a description for the activity of the analytical chemist. I n fact, there seems to be a plethora of descriptions available. Let us look a t three descriptions which have been given over the last twenty years. 1 . ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
“Analytical chemistry may be considered as comprising all techniques and methods for obtaining information regarding the composition, identity, purity. and constitution of samples of matter in terms of kind, quantity, and groupings of atoms and molecules, as \yell as the determination of those physical properties and behavior which can be correlated with these objectives.” (3’). 2. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
“Analytical chemistry is the science of chemical characterixation and measurements. It includes the theory, methodology, and instrumentation t o carry out all aspects of its operations, such as sampling. separations. chemical steps, physical measurements, computations, and data processing.” ( 4 ) . 3. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
“Today the analytical chemist is concerned about a viide spectrum of measurements. H e is involved not only in determining
Special Report
what and lzozc much is present i composition) , but also what form (
