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ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y Walter J. Murphy, Editor
Academic Trends in Analytical Chemistry DOUGI,A$s G. Xirholwn of t 1 1 ~I’i+her Scientific Co. ib a very much tral e l d iucii\ itliial, ;.pending
to repair an in-trument, to modify it, or even to devise a lien circuit to accommodate specific immediate needs.
a considerable portion of each year intci1-ien-ing teaching staff.: in our schools of cheniibtij- and chemical cnpineering. H e is the next heqt thing t o a Gallup Poll n h m one wishes to find out the lateit trends in tcnching, particulaily in the field of analytical cliemihtry. R e are indebted to Sivholson for his papei “Trends in Academic An:ilyticbnl Chemistry” gil-en before the 1951 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spwt 1 oicopy. I n his paper he lists ten important trends that we Irould like t o siimmarize briefly for our readers.
Enumeration of the remaining special trends reported by Sicholbon will emphasize their growing importance in the minds of analytical chemists. Paper chromatography is used as an analytical chemical tool not only in undergraduate courses but in our organic and biological research laboratories. Similarly, the use of ion exchange resins in analytical chemical procedures is widely recognized not only in the training of analytical chemists, but as a very important day-by-day tool in quantitative separations in rehearch and in industrial laboratories. The extent of the interest and possibilities of tracer techniques in chemical research is reflected in the large number of manuscripts which have appeared and are appearing in scientific and technical journals. The use of these “tagged” atoms in research will lead us into heretofore entirely unexplored fields and add greatly t o our scientific knowledge in widely diversified fields. One observation of Nicholson frankly does not meet with our approval. H e reports that in many instances qualitative analysis is being eliminated from chemical engineeiing curricula. We appreciate the time element that probably is responsible for such deletion, but we feel that our chemical engineers of the future will lose a great deal of solid basic training as the result of the elimination of courses in qualitative analysis. Finally, we are very happy t o note an increase in the popularity in the courses of analytical instrumentation, as reported by Nicholson. Instrumentation is not a passing fad. There are sound basic reasons why it should continue t o develop and serve the needs of the chemical analyst. It is well for us to remember, however, that the instrument must always be the servant, not the master. Accordingly, our academic institutions must be primarily concerned with the development of scientists rather than technicians-men and women who are thoroughly familiar with the fundamentals involved, who are capable of fundamental research, not mere knob-twisters following printed instructiunb. for instrumentation is based in one way or another upon very definite advances in fundamental knowledge K h e n we fail to place proper emphasis on fundamental research in instrumentation in our academic institutions, then we can expect to lose the present pace that has characterized its grorrth in the past decade.
Growth of Semimicro Techniques. Semimicroprocedures in elementary qualitative analysis are being employed in from 90 to 95% of the schools contacted and beveral other institutions plan t o institute such programs i n the fall of 1951. The use of “semi” procedures is spreading into general chemistry laboratories as well as into many elementary organic courses. Approximately 30 to 40% of the schools visited by Kicholson in the past 12 montlis now use semi procedures in their elementary gene r d chemical laboratories, and from 10 to 2OY0 use the semi approach in elementary organic courses. Analytical Procedures Not Using Hydrogen Sulfide or Sulfides as Such. Nicholson reports a definite reduction or complete elimination of the use of hydrogen sulfide in qualitative analytical schemes. The use of aqueous solutions of organic compounds n liich hydrolyze to produce a sulfide ion in contact nith the nietnl ion solution has eliminated t h e long-familiar hydrogen sulfide Kipp generator. Any procedure that helps to eliminate the use of hydrogen sulfide in qualitative aiialyqis is n elcome to teacher and student alike and indicates basic progress in the science of analytical separation
