ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
EDITORIAL
November 1959, Vol. 31, No. 1 1 APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS Director o f Publications, C. B. larrabee Editorial Director, Waiter J. Murphy Executive Editor, Jomes M. Crowe Assistant to the Director o f Publications, Joseph H. Kuney
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Mitor, Lawrence 1.Hallett Managing Editor, Robert 0. Cibbs EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON 6, D. C. 1155 Sixteenth S., N.W. Teletype W A 23 Phone REpublic 7-3337 Associate Editors: 0. Gladys Gordon, Stella Anderson, Katherine 1. Biggs Assisfont Mitors: Robert J. Riley, Robed J. Kelley, Ruth M. Howorth. Eugenia Keller, Sue M. Sollidoy, Malvina 8. Reiss, Ruth Reynard Editorial Assistants: Kotherine H. Ginnane, Virginia E. Stewart, 5. 5. Rogers, Lorraine M. Bertuzzi Loyout and Production: Melvin D. Buckner (Art); Betty V. K i e h r , Leroy 1. Corcomn, John V. Sinnett BRANCH EDITORIAL OFFICES CHICAGO 3, ILL. Room 926 36 South Wabash Ave. Teletype CG 725 Phone Slate 2-5148 Associate Miton: Howord J. Sanders, Chester Piacek Assistant Editor: James H. Krieger HOUSTON 2, TEX. 718 Meirose Bldg. Teletype HO 72 Phone FAirfax 3-7107 Associate Editor: Bruce F. Greek Assistant Editor: Earl V. Anderson NEW YORK 16, N. Y. 2 Park Ave. Phone ORegon 9-1646 Teletype NY 14726 Associote Editors: William Q. Hull, Harry Yenerson, David M. Kiefer, D. Gray Weaver, Wolter 5. Fedor, Laurence 1.White Assistant Editor: Louis A. Agnello SAN FRANCISCO 4, CALIF. 703 Mechanics' Institute Bldg. 57 Post st. Phone EXbrook 2-2895 Teletype SF 549 Associote Editor: Richard 0. Newhall Assisfont Editor: Joseph Yurchio EASTON, PA. 20th and No&#on Sh. Phone Blackburn 6-91 11 Teletype ESTN Pa 7048 Auociofe Editor: Charlotte C. h y r e Arrisfant Editor: Joyce A. Richards Editorial Assistants: Elizabeth R. Rufe, Barbam A. b n o v e r EUROPEAN OFFICE Bush House. Aldwych, London Phone Temple Bar 3605 b b l e JIECHEM Associate Editor: Albert 5. Hester
New Leadership Role for Analytical Chemists Increasing need for instrumentation based on chemical principles is putting analytical chemist in position of ever-increasing responsibility H E ANALYTICAL c H E i m s T is becoming one of the most important T f i g u r e s in a modern chemical plant, said Van Zandt Williams, executive vice president of Perkin-Elmer Corp. (page 25 A ) . W e have long felt t h a t the role of the analytical chemist was becoming more vital in all areas of research, development, and processing. It was interesting t o us to note t h a t Dr. Williams, a physicist and a n instrument manufacturer, echoes these views. T h e essence of his philosophy is t h a t in t h e chemical process industries today, increased automation is a n inevitable trend. Automation involves measuring one or more factors. T o monitor or control processes effectively, it is necessary t o know the chemical principles involved so t h a t t h e proper variables to be measured or controlled can be selected. T h e analytical chemist is best qualified in this area. This is not to reflect on the physicist or electronics engineer who is responsible for developing instruments to do the job. What Dr. Williams emphasized was t h a t today's instrumentation must be designed to work with dynamic systems. I n effective process monitoring a n d control, no longer will it be sufficient to take samples to the laboratory and analyze them under static conditions. Instead the instrumentation will have to be designed to operate in pilot plants under process conditions. I n research, similarly, instrumentation needs a r e far from perfect, Dr. Williams said. For example, in t h e future i t is possible t h a t data concerning a reaction will be collected by several instruments such as infrared, chromatogra y , and others. T h e mass of data collected is of limited use unless it is analyzed simultaneously and continuously. T h i s involvee feeding d a t a into a computer as i t comes from each instrument. W h a t does all this mean? It seems to us that this newer concept which is emerging will require t h a t t h e chemist, with his knowledge of chemical principles, translate his needs into terms which the physicist and electronics engineer can utilize. T h e physicist and electronics engineer already have resources far beyond t h e most exacting needs of the chemist and merely require a precise statement of the problem to translate it into effective instrumentation.
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Contributing Editor: R. H. MBIIer Advisory Board: R. M. Archibald, W. H. Bmamer, F. E. Beamish, H. 0. b s s i d y , W. D. J. 1. H d m a n , M. 1 . Kelley, C. 1. Cook., Luke, W. M. MacNevin, W. J. Mader, John Mitchell, k., N. H. Nachtrieb, E. J. Rosebourn, R. 0 . Russell, F. H. Stross Adverfising Management REINHOLD PUBLISHING CORP (For Branch Officer see p o g s 133 A) VOL. 31, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 1959
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