WORLD-WIDE CHEMISTRY SCANDINAVIA C. A. Robak, Horten, Norway Step. Are Initiated to Secure Legislation on Vitaminized Foods The Swedish expert commission on food legislation has proposed that the artificial application of vitamins to foods and the importation of such foods shall be subject to the concession of the Government Medical Office. Before such concession can be given, the product has to be tested by the Public Health Institute. In cases of misuse, or if the product is found not to fulfill the established conditions, the concession would be subject to with drawal. The applicant would have to pay a fee of 100 Swedish kroner and the cost of the test. During the concession period, which it is proposed be three years, the product will have to be tested by the institute at least twice a year, the concessionaire paying the costs of the test. The proposition has been put before the Bureau of the Swedish Chemical Industry which, in a statement laid down before the government, recommends that legislative measures be taken for establish ing an efficient control of the vitamin content of foods. However, it should be borne in mind that the supply of vita mins to the larger part of the population is still far from being sufficient ana, conse quently, the public welfare would not be furthered by regulations that would reduce too much the interest which industrial people may take in the vitamin treatment of foods. Further, states the bureau, care must be taken to give the paragraph establishing the conditions for the grant ing of a concession such a form that it cannot be misused to serve political interests. The proposed bill prescribes the secur ing of a concession only in the case of vitamins. The bureau in the said state ment points to the fact that the vitamins are a family of substances belonging to a much larger group of biochemically active substances comprising also, for instance, the enzymes, the hormones, the growth factors, and the physiologically active mineral salts. The bureau, therefore, suggests that the bill be framed so as to include the entire group of biochemically active substances. The bill also contains regulations against misleading advertising. The bureau sug gests that these regulations be made applicable also to natural products con taining vitamins, stating that in some cases it will be found extremely difficult to draw up a well-founded limit between vitamins produced in "natural" and in "artificial' ways. 1937 Was Record Year for the Chemical Industry of Sweden As foreseen, the chemical industry of Sweden shows very high figures of pro duction and trade for the year 1937. In the official statistical reports recently published the following changes can be EDITOR'β NOTE. Those interested in further details should address the correspondent whose name and address appear for each country, and enclose sufficient international coupons to prepay the reply. United States stamps should not be sent.
noticed in comparison with the previous year, which was itself quite a good one. The importation of liquid chlorine in 1937 came to 10,335 metric tons, as com pared with 6100 tons in 1936. The exportation of potassium chlorate amounted to 5777 tons, as against 4519 tons in 1936. The corresponding figures for calcium carbide were, respectively, 12,833 and 10,667 tons. In 1937 there were imported 173,909 tons of calcined sodium sulfate as against 147,886 tons in 1936. The exportation of explosives amounted to 3454 tons, as compared with 2416 tons in 1936. The production ca pacity of the plants producing military explosives has been utilized to its full extent during the entire year. The consumption of alcohol in motor fuel reached the figure of 17,033 tons, as against 14,393 tons in 1936 which was the former record. The importation of glycerol amounted to 1886 tons—more than twice as much as in 1936; of fodder cake, 225,000 tons, as compared with 158,631 in 1936 and 200,420 tons in 1935. The sugar production shows record figures with a beet crop totaling 2,074,270 tons or 37.55 tons per hectare, which is the highest yield ever attained in Sweden, and a production of 346,168 tons of crude sugar, which is sufficient to cover the domestic demand. The pulp and paper industry shows exceptionally high exportation figures, which are given oelow in table form for comparison :
Lxpor Industry Products Shows Increase Considerable progress in the industrial exports of Denmark could be observed from the accounts for the first six months of 1937, and this tendency continued throughout the year. For the whole year the value of exports was more than 26 per cent higher than for the previous ear and practically double that of 1932. Îη the following table is put down the exportation of some of the more important products of chemical industry for the past two years: EXPORTS
Vegetable oils Animal oils Feedingetuffe Cement Cryolite
1936 Tone 58.572 26.016 129.725 331.025 13.327
1937 Tone 70.381 29.023 137.866 248.962 21.248
New Treatment of Dairy Waste Waters Prevents Putrefaction A patent has recently been granted to A. Beijer of Holbaek, Denmark, for a procedure of treating dairy waste water. The principal new feature is the addition of tanning substances to the waste water before the formation of lactic acid has commenced. By this means the proteins coagulate and putrefaction is prevented. The amount of tanning substances re quired to prevent the waste water from putrefying is substantially less than that required also to prevent putrefaction of the precipitated slime. The amount to be added, consequently, must be regulated 1936 EXPORT» 1937 1935 according to requirements at the different Tone* Tone9 Tone* dairies. Mineral tanning substances, Bleached sulfite such as chromium salts, have proved to 268,317 311.942 393.788 cellulose work well for the purpose mentioned, Unbleached sulfite but other kinds of tanning substances 763.325 848.370 916.971 cellulose Bleached sulfate can also be used. As an approximate 56.588 69.719 87.502 cellulose measure of the tanning substances em Unbleached sulfate ployed, the patent description indicates 700.964 734.953 810.228 cellulose 313.726 314.574 351.216 Ground wood pulp the addition of 100 grams of chrome alum 207.279 180.140 197.724 Newsprint per cubic meter of waste water. 297.209 318.877 345.367 Wrapping paper Aluminum, Zinc, and Cadmium Are Other paper 25.973 27.422 27.000 Paper board 61.269 61.672 70.422 Important Export Products of Norway β Metric tons, dry weight. In 1937 the world production of alumi num metal totaled 470,000 metric tons. Of this quantity approximately 25.000 tons were produced m Norway, of which The production of pyrite ore came to at least 90 per cent were exported. The 170,000 tons, as compared with 134,206 total production capacity of all the Nor tons in 1936. In addition to this, 206,444 wegian plants is estimated at some 40,000 tons were imported—about as much as tons annually. One of the largest, the during the previous year. But the im plant of the Norsk Aluminium Co. at portation of elemental sulfur rose from H0yanger. Norway, with an annual pro 69,289 tons in 1936 to 84,341 tons in 1937 duction of about 8000 tons of aluminum in accordance with the increased activity metal, is among the very few plants in in the cellulose industry. Approximately the world where all steps in the metal the same quantities of gold and silver production are gathered in one place. were produced as in the foregoing years. Alumina is produced from bauxite by a The exportation of ferroalloys increased combined electrothermic and chemical from 30,443 tons in 1936 to 35,093 tons Çrocess invented by Harald Pedersen. he factory was built in 1928 and after in 1937. several extensions now has a production capacity of 17,000 tons of aluminum oxide a year. As a by-product 4000 to 5000 tons of pure pig iron are obtained. The aluminum metal is produced by elec trolysis in the usual way, the electrodes, too, being produced at the plant. Selfbaking Sôderberg electrodes are used to a large extent. 475
476
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Zinc and cadmium are produced by one lant only—namely, that of D e t Norske SFrom inkkompani A / S of Eitrheim, Norway. that plant approximately 45,000 tons of zinc and 150 tons of cadmium were exported in 1937. The latter metal is gained as a by-product of the zinc production, which is carried out by electrolysis. The process employed is the so-called Anaconda method which is used by several large plants in the United States and Canada. The Eitrheim zinc ilant is very complete and self-dependent, laving its own plants for the roasting of the zinc blende, for the production of the sulfuric acid employed for dissolving the zinc oxide, and for the production of the zinc dust used for purification of the solution to be electrolyzed. The average composition of the ore worked at Kitrheim follows: zinc, 45 to 5 8 per cent; sulfur, 30; lead, 0.5 to 4.0; copper, 0.05 to 2.0; cadmium, 0.1 to 0.5; iron, 3 to 15; silver, 10 to 500 grams per ton; t>esides small contaminations of other metals and some silica, alumina, lime, and magnesia.
{
July 28. 1*137
HUNGARY S. S . d e F i n e l y , P a s a r é t i - u t 3, Budapest, 2 Addresses o f E n g i n e e r s and Architectd P u b l i s h e d The Chemical Knginccring group of the Society of Hungarian Engineers and Architects during the early part of the year held an interesting series of addresses revealing the kinds of activities that can he engaged in by chemical engineers in the cause of agriculture. The journal of the society has now published these addresses which had to do with the following subjects: role of the chemical engineers in the development of agriculture, soil conditions and the economics of agriculture, alkali soils in Hungary and their reclamation possibilities, financial problems in reclaiming alkali soils, chemical problems in the growing of plants, methods of soil investigation and soil mapping, the protein, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium balance in Hungarian agriculture, role of the chemical engineers in plant insecticide production and control, division of estates and location of new farms, reclamation of unfertile soils, irrigation, plant breeding, adapted application of fertilizers, quality control of agricultural lubricating oils and motor fuels, preservation of feed, and many other fields in which the chemical engineers can assist in furthering the aims of agriculture. It is hoped that the increased activity of the chemical engineers in cooperation with the farmers will help Hungary in the production and sale of agricultural products. T o b a c c o s Graded by C h e m i c a l A n a l y s i s A numerical method for the analysis of tobacco has been developed by K. Gartner. 1 A detailed analysis of various Hungarian tobacco, cigar, and cigaret types showed that the ratio of the substances which improve the quality of the tobacco to those with impairing effects is a valuable help to anyone who wishes to grade tobacco precisely. Tobaccos of better quality generally contain less ash and protein and more sugars and polyphenols. In the case of Hungarian tobacco stores these evaluation numbers ranged from 18 to 123, the higher numbers indicating the better cigaret tobacco. The nicotine plant of the Monopoly at « M au un r Chem. Folyoirat. 04, 47 59 < 1938).
VOL. 16, NO. 17
Debrecen has steadily increased its outT o m a t o e s (traded and S t u d i e d by l^olor Analysis put and the costs have been cut significantly by using briquets of tobacco Methods for color determination of tomatoes and tomato products have been powder, a by-product, as a fuel in nicotine investigated by K« Taxner. 7 The color extraction. analyses of Hungarian tomato purees Oil Flax Straw show them to be of the same quality as to Replace Clot ton foreign varieties. Tomatoes grown on In order to replace cotton by subsandy soil are inferior in color to those stances produced ut home, experiments grown on heavy, fertile clay si>ils. The have been conducted on the straw from time of harvesting also affects tomato oil flax. I. Jakobey 2 reports that oil flax color, the earlier ones generally having straw can be freed from encrusting subbetter color. Those harvested later have stances by boiling in dilute alkali and more yellow in their pigments. Boiling treating the washed-out fibers with acid tomato juice at low temperatures under or alkaline potassium permanganate, high vacuum (30° (Λ) does not signifi chromic acid, or other mineral acids and cantly change its color. Sterilization hypochlorites. Application of sulfurous generally deteriorates the color of purées, acid and bisulfite lyes under various presthe dilute types being more affected than sures had good results hut this must prethe concent rat ed ones. cede alkali treatment. The best quality Agriculture F i n d s t'se for of fiber is produced with low acid conT o m a t o Industry By-Product centrations for longer periods and under As a by-product of the tomato indushigher pressures. try, tomato skins are now used for agriculAgricultural Wattle tural purposes. 11. Tangl 8 describes ex(Converted i n t o Cellulose periments which prove that although pigs With the ever-increasing demand for cannot utilize tomato skins, sheep take this the basic materials of cellulose, the probfeed easily. Five hundred grams of hay lem arises of utilizing agricultural waste3 and 200 grams of dry tomato skins were for cellulose production. K. Horvath fed daily and a starch value of 74 kg. per states that the raw cellulose yield of rve quintal was found as the feeding value straw is 40 per cent, that of cornstalks of the tomato skins. 35 per cent, and that of Mol i lot us about Paprika A n a l y z e d a n d F o u n d 33 per cent, but they are not easily o b Rich in V i t a m i n s a n d P i g m e n t s tainable because of the enormous cost of The pigment and vitamin A content of accumulation and transportation. To Hungarian paprika lia> !>een investigated overcome these difficultés the establishby L·. fholtmky.* liipe red paprika ment of small plants on the spot is procontains the pigment.-» capsanthin, capmised. The unfinished products made in sorubin (both play significant roles in such plants would IK» worked up in central the formation of its vivid red color), plants to homogeneous end products. zeuxantliin, cryptoxatithin, and «J-camtenc This plan could simultaneously solve the as well as traces of lutein and a-carotene. problem of industrial decentralization. One kilogram of hot paprika pericarps Causes of Diastatic* contains 4 to 5 grams of pigment, includPower Variation»* S t u d i e d ing 2 to 3 grams of capsanthin and 0.4 to The relation of grinding grade and 1 gr-tm of capsorubin. Paprika fruits acidity of wheat flours to their diastatic harvested in the so-called "first pick*' con•lower has been investigated recc»titly by tain more red pigment than those picked S. Gomory. 4 The correlation curves o b later, which, however, contain nearly twice tained show that flours of higher grinding as much carotene and cryptoxanthin, and grades (the coarser ones) have higher seem more valuable as sources of provitaacidities and increased diastatic powers. min A. The best powdered red paprika The addition of lactic acid to the dough contains 400 to 1300 Ι. Γ. of provitamin increases the diastatic* power to a given A in each gram and is one of the richest maximal limit, larger doses having diminsources of vitamin A. ishing effects. Flours of high diastatic Waste paprika is used as chicken feed •lower can be stimulated by much smaller in areas where paprika is grown in large doses of lactic acid. The malt flour used quantities. Hens fed with waste paprika by bakers as an agent for increasing dialay eggs with reddish colored yolks which static power often contains proteolytic can be sold to housewives and paste substances whose damaging effects Van factories at a high price since they have he avoided by the addition of lactic acid. increased coloring effects.10 Experiments P a t e n t Is I s s u e d performed by L. Benedek showed that for New O r e a l Product finely ground paprika is taken up easier A patent of Imre Szolnoki 6 proposes a than dry pericarp particles. Daily doses new field for the consumption of cereals. of 2 grams of paprika in the feed within Cereals or cereal flours are made into a 3 or 4 weeks increased the coloring power dough and sweetened with malt. T h e of the yolks threefold. Paprika feeding product can be made palatable by the may have a practical use in the winter addition of sugar, aeids, flavoring, and months when the scarcity of fresh feed preserving agents and can be used as a causes pale yolks in eggs. basic material for jams and creams. Cocoa S h e l l s F o u n d L'seful Cheese w i t h Low a s Feed for D o m e s t i c A n i m a l s Salt C o n t e n t Patented The use of cocoa shells as feed is sug Another patent by Antal Gâbor 6 progested 11 by J. Becker and L. Telegdyvides for a cheese with increased nutrient Kovdts. Although the food value of value but diminished salt content. T h e cocoa shells is rather low (32 to 36 starch usual sodium chloride lye in which value) their biological effect is remarkable cheeses are stored for ripening is replaced because of the high vitamin D content (1.5 by a solution containing lime l>ound to to 32.5 Ι. Γ. per gram). Cocoa shells amino acids and low-grade fatty acids irradiated by sunlight for long periods (calcium glutamate). For each kilogram cannot be significantly enriched in vitamin «if cheese, 0.25 gram of the salt is needed 1> content; however, an increase in vita and the product can be consumed by those min I) was evident after irradiation with whose kidneys must not be overloaded a llanau quartz lamp. Since 2 to 3 with sodium chloride. * KUérletûgyi Kôrltmények. 40, 104 70 (1937·. * Technikai Kurir.9, 4 0 A (11)38». «4 Kisêrletûuui Kô:hminyek. 40, 189 98 . 1937;. Hungarian Patent 117.908. •Ibid.. 118.087.
: Kiaèrtrtiwui K0.lrmênUrk. 40. 235 4 7 (1937). • ibid.. 40, 125 8 11937». *Ibid..e0, 173 8» (1937). "Ibid.. 40, 119-23 (1937). " yfizôoa:dn«âai Kututa*»k. 11, 122-8 (1938).
S E P T E M B E R 10, 1933 grams of cocoa shells supply the vitamin D demands of domestic animals, the subject seems to have practical importance. Reliable Water P e r m e a b i l i t y Tents Developed for Leathers A special apparatus for water permeability determinations of leather has been worked out bv Gy. Wodn£anszky. 12 The principle of the procedure is the insertion of a leather disk 70 mm. in diameter into rubber bands and the application of a controlled water column above the disk. The time and the amount of water filtered through the leather disk are measured and the results expressed as evaluation numbers. The method provides for the exact comparison of permeability in leathers reliable enough for industrial purposes. Properties o f P e t r o l e u m i n Hungary Analyzed a n d P u b l i s h e d The properties of petroleum obtained from the Hungarian deep borings are discussed by Gy. Nvul. 1 3 A 70- to 330meter boring at Bitkkszék in northern Hungary yields daily 15,000 to 20,000 kg of petroleum with a specific gravity of 0.S58. In distillation this shows a varying gasoline content (2.6 to 7.2 per cent by weight). Another boring in southwestern Hungary ( Budafapuszta-Lispe) yields about 100Ô kg. of petroleum daily from a depth of 1000 to 1300 meters with a gasoline yield of 27 i>er cent. The data on various oils, asphalt, and pakura obtained from the crude oils have been published in detail. Oils f r o m Coal Powder Extracted w i t h T e t r a l i n Extracting oils from coal powder by treatment with tetralin is described by I. Petri. 1 * Three hundred grams of coal powder with a 59.15 per cent carbon and 3.45 per cent hydrogen content (3.36 per cent moisture content) were heated with 600 grams of tetralin in an autoclave to 400° to 440° O. for one hour. Coal has been converted into various oils in amounts varying from 86 to 90 per cent. The effect of the tetralin is explained by the fact that about 33 to 38 per cent of the tetralin is decomposed during heating to naphthalene and the hydrogen formed acts as an activating agent. I n d i c a t o r s Investigated for Fluorescence T i t r a t i o n s L. Szebellédy and K. Sik l s have investigated the' use of various organic substances as indicators in fluorescence titrations. Sodium alizarinsulfonate, lackmoid, neutral red, phenol red, azolithmine, curcuma tincture, rosolic acid, thymol blue, and p-xylenolsulfophthalein seem to be adapted for such purposes. Carminic acid was found to be ineffective. Fluorescence indicators will probably play a significant role in new titration methods. Method of Stabilization a n d I n j e c t i o n Fluid P a t e n t e d The stabilization of hexamethylenetetramine-gly conic acid solutions has been achieved by a method of the Richter Chemical Factory. 16 This entails the addition of ethylenediamine to the solution to a p l l value of 8.2 to 8.4. A patent of the Wander Factory 17 provides for the production of chelidonium alkaloid solutions for use as injections. The method applied consists of dissolving the alkaloids or their salts (eventually mixed with analgesics) in ethylene glycol esters or their homology. " Magyar Timor,, 2, 33-8 Î1938). " Magyar Mernôk Epitészeuulet Kôzlônye, 72, 241-8 (1938). « Teehnika. 1», 193~* (1938). , l » Magyar Oyôgyezrrieztud. Tartaaag Ertrsitôje. 14, 383-421 (1938). «· Hungarian Patent 118,217. »* 7ΛΜ.. 118.224.
NEWS EDITION
477
Hans Kierstede of New Amsterdam N THESE days of tercentenaries it may IKierstede, be of interest to recall that Hans one of the first chemists in this country and in New York City, came t o Manhattan from Magdeburg, Saxony, in 1638, just 300 years ago. Dr. Kierstede was more of a physician than a chemist, but the two professions were often combined in those days. He at least prepared an ointment called "Kierstede's Ointment," the formula, manufacture, and sale of which were held in the family for several generations. He left Magdeburg during the misery and horror of the Thirty Years' War. A few years later he married a daughter of Roelof Jansen, a well-known early Dutch settler of New Amsterdam. They lived "along the Strand" in a house located at what would now be the corner of Pearl and Whitehall Streets, not far from Battery Park, and at that time practically on the water front with an unobstructed view of New York Bay. Some of their descendants lived at the same place for about 70 years. There have been a number of Dr. Kierstedes descended from the first one in later generations in New York City, Kingston, Ν. Υ., and elsewhere. One of his sons, Lucas, married Rachel Kip, daughter of Jacobus Kip, secretary of New Netherland in 1655. Jacobus Kip built the well-known old colonial house at Kip's Bay, on 35th Street near 2nd Avenue, which was not torn down until 1851. Rachel Kip's maternalgrandfather, Jean de la Montagne, a French Huguenot, was also a physician and a graduate of the celebrated University of Leyden. He came to Manhattan in 1637. These two doctors were the first physicians in New Amsterdam, but whereas Dr. Kier stede was chemist, apothecary, physician, surgeon, and dentist, Dr. Montagne was appointed councilor to Director Kieft and became "the teacher" in the first public school in the settlement; he was also an active force in the Dutch church in the fort and later helped to start a branch
church, the First Collegiate "Reformed Church of Harlem, near his farm in what was then an extreme outlying district of the town. From a study of the condition of chem istry in New Amsterdam 300 years ago it appears that the few who knew any thing about it had come from countries where chemistry was making slow but defi nite progress. It was the iatro-chemical age, but medicine was in an empirical stage. Van Helmont's Dispensatory was a standard reference work. On the prac tical side Glauber and Palissy had applied chemical principles along technical lines. The principal industries involving chem istry at that time were dyeing, tanning, glass making, the preparation of pitch, tar, rosin, and turpentine, brewing, and the making of salt, drugs, pot ash, lime, tile, and brick. Fuller's earth and pipe clay were known. The development of new industries in Manhattan before 1638 was retarded by the official rule of the West India Co. that all commodities must be imported from Holland. The principal article» exported were furs, skins, grain, flour, lumber, and tobacco. There may have been small shipments of roots, whale oil, and bone. It was in 1638 that the prohibition on manufactures and the Dutch monopoly in trade were revoked, but for many vears it was still required that goods should he transported only in Dutch «hips. In later years when the English were in con trol they made similar navigation laws. The early records show that t h e Dutch were very methodical. Deeds, mortgages, and baptisms were carefully recorded. Maps were made. The principal activi ties in New Amsterdam, however, aside from struggles with the Indians and other troublesome neighbors, were building, farming, barter, and trade. These facts have been unearthed by Roger C. Wells, chief chemist o»f the Geo logical Survey, Department of t h e Interior, in Washington, who is a descendant of Lucas Kierstede and Rachel Kip.
N e w A m s t e r d a m a b o u t 1650 ( M o n t a n u s v i e w ) , f a ) C h u r c h of St. Nicholas i n t h e fort; ( b ) h o u s e of H a n s K i e r s t e d e ; ( c ) brewery of t h e W e s t I n d i a Co. ; ( d ) s i t e of t h e f u t u r e Broad S t r e e t ; ( e ) t h e c o m p a n y ' s Taveern, l a t e r the Stadt Huys.
