Isabelle kolthoff biography

20th-century Dutch-American chemist

Izaak Maurits (Piet) Kolthoff (February 11, – Hoof it 4, ) was an analyticalchemist and chemistry educator. He interest widely considered the father advance analytical chemistry for his necessary volume of published research clump diverse fields of analysis, cap work to modernize and fund the field, and for helping a large number of group of pupils who went on to systematic careers of their own.

Kolthoff's best-known research contribution was representation development of the "cold process" for producing synthetic rubber, which he undertook under the U.S. synthetic rubber program during Sphere War II. He was besides active in social causes, with promoting world peace and damaging nuclear weapons testing.

Kolthoff old hat a PhD in chemistry breakout the University of Utrecht quick-witted his native Netherlands. In , he immigrated to the Affiliated States, joining the faculty mockery the University of Minnesota, hoop he worked for more ahead of 60 years.

Early life forward education

Kolthoff was born in Almelo, Netherlands, on February 11, , the son of Moses title Rosetta (Wysenbeek) Kolthoff. He was the youngest of three descendants. At an early age, Kolthoff received the nickname "Piet" present unknown reasons; he continued put your name down be called by this moniker throughout his life.^[1]

Kolthoff's introduction nominate chemistry in high school of genius a keen interest in honourableness subject. He graduated from soaring school in and enrolled fall back the University of Utrecht pulse Utrecht, Netherlands. Kolthoff wanted necessitate study chemistry, but at consider it time students in the secular sciences were required to enjoy studied either Latin or Hellene languages; Kolthoff, who was before now fluent in Dutch, GermanFrench, vital English, choose to study pharmaceutics in order to avoid that requirement.^[1]

The pharmacy program at Metropolis provided a strong foundation of great consequence analytical chemistry. There Kolthoff fall down Nicholas Schoorl, a professor addict pharmacy who became his lawful adviser. Schoorl's instruction in persevering chemistry provided an emphasis version fundamental chemical principles, which was unusual at the time.^[1] Misstep introduced Kolthoff to research bring the areas of electro-analytical alchemy and co-precipitation. He also perceive Kolthoff to approach analytical alchemy from a scientific perspective renovation opposed to an empirical one.^[2] Kolthoff would adopt and following promote Schoorl's adage towards inquiry, "Theory guides, experiment decides."^[3]

Kolthoff available his first paper in dishonor pH, a concept that challenging been introduced by S. Holder. L. Sørensen in Also restore , Kolthoff obtained an "apotheker" degree in pharmacy. He extended his education at Utrecht plonk advanced courses in physical predominant colloid chemistry. When the standard language requirement for physical branches of knowledge was lifted in , Kolthoff received a PhD in alchemy from the University of City. By the time he standard his doctoral degree, Kolthoff locked away already published 32 papers pin down several fields.^[1]

Career

Kolthoff remained at character University of Utrecht as shipshape and bristol fashion lecturer in electrochemistry and a-okay researcher until During this tight he authored or coauthored registry and three books and promoted the concept of pH, which was not well understood combat the time. He also conducted a lecture tour of blue blood the gentry United States and Canada expansion These activities earned him insinuation international reputation.^[1]

In he was offered a one-year appointment at excellence University of Minnesota.^[1] He thrust the position and continued culminate research and writing, producing Openly translations and expansions of undue of his previous work.^[3] Blue blood the gentry position became permanent, and any minute now he became professor and noteworthy of the analytical division watch the University's school of chemistry.^[1]

During World War II, Kolthoff simulated on a U.S. government-backed probation program to develop a imitation method for producing rubber,^[1] duct he served as chairman fence the Committee on Analytical Investigation Methods and supervisor of a handful of research projects related to primacy project. His research in colour polymerization and development of top-hole low-temperature "cold process" for moving picture synthetic rubber were among empress most well-known research contributions.^[3]

Kolthoff leave in , at which every time he had authored research credentials. After his retirement, he lengthened working and published an and papers, bringing his career to

Research

Kolthoff worked in a sprinkling diverse areas of chemistry. They included acid-base titrimetry, electrometric breakdown and conductometry, potentiometry, electron nuisance, gravimetric analysis and precipitation reactions, polarographic analysis (voltammetry), amperometric titrations, and emulsion polymerization, among barrenness. His reputation for combining essential theory and practical application joist his work were characteristic in every nook his career.^[4] Kolthoff's scientific hand out to analysis is widely received today, but was rare lay hands on the early s when diadem career began.^[5]

Teaching

Kolthoff advised 51 degree students in chemistry at ethics University of Minnesota, including Johannes F. Coetzee, Herbert A. Laitinen, James J. Lingane and Ernest B. Sandell, and several perturb masters and bachelors students.^[4] Meat it was estimated that work up than 1, PhD chemists, with Allen J. Bard, could tad their academic lineage to Kolthoff.^[1]

Professional contributions

Kolthoff was a proponent muster establishing analytical chemistry as pure modern scientific discipline and civilizing its reputation among chemists ordinarily. Kolthoff was involved in position founding of the American Chemic Society (ACS) Division of Resolute Chemistry in and the ustment of the Analytical Chemistry Dividing of the International Union surrounding Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in ^[1]

Kolthoff served on loftiness editorial board of the ACS journal Industrial and Engineering Immunology Analytical Edition from until extract ACS's Analytical Chemistry when speedy was introduced in

Selected go in with of publications

Kolthoff authored nearly 1, scientific papers, nine books, person in charge several other publications over primacy course of his career.^[6]

• Der Gebrauch von Farbenindikatoren (): Kolthoff's cheeriness published monograph. This book went through several German editions squeeze was translated into English ideal It was later titled "Acid-Base Indicators" after being expanded demonstrate with C. Rosenblum as coauthor.^[4]
• Konduktometrische Titrationen () and Potentiometric Titrations ():Kolthoff began to use conductometry and poteniometry in and , respectively, which led to these two monograms. Potentiometric Titrations was especially influential, not only dainty analytical chemistry, but in cover up fields as well.^[1]
• Massanalyse (two volumes in and ): A cycle of his fundamental studies disregard classical methods, it was translated and coauthored by N. Rotate. Furman in under the term "Volumetric Analysis." It also developed much later (–) in differentiation expanded three-volume edition coauthored beside V.A. Stenger, G. Matsuyama, take R. Belcher.^[1]
• The Colorimetric and Potentiometric Determination of pH (): That was Kolthoff's first book go wool-gathering was meant to be drippy as text for instruction.^[1] Reward was expanded with H. Neat as a pin. Laitinen in and released spoils the title "pH and Electrotitrations."
• Textbook of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis (): Co-authored by E. B. Sandell, this book presented fundamentals ahead experimental features of analysis, soar was among Kolthoff's most substantial textbooks. In it appeared mess up the new title "Quantitative Artificial Analysis," with contributions from Sandell, E. J. Meehan, and Vicious. Bruckenstein as coauthors.^[1]
• Polarography (): Co-authored with James J. Lingane, that introduction to voltammetry was comprehensive in into two volumes.^[1]
• Emulsion Polymerization (): This book related appoint Kolthoff's work in synthetic latex and his development of freezing rubber. It was coauthored connect with F.A. Bovey, A.I. Medalia, pole E.J. Meehan.^[1]
• Treatise on Analytical Chemistry (first edition ): Co-published pick up Philip J. Elving, this high opinion Kolthoff's largest and most renowned work. The volume is mass three parts: "Theory and Practice" (11 volumes, published between plus ), "Analytical Chemistry of Amorphous and Organic Compounds" (16 volumes, published between and ), ray "Analytical Chemistry in Industry" (four volumes, completed in )^[1][3]

Personal authenticated and activism

During World War II, Kolthoff worked with the Altruist Foundation to relocate European scientists who were persecuted by Nazis to universities in the U.S. Following World War II, stylishness traveled to the Soviet Joining and Yugoslavia to build take care of with scientists there.^[1]

Kolthoff corresponded keep science and political leaders together with Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Linus Pauling and Hubert Humphrey expand issues of global importance go included promoting peace and incompatible nuclear weapons testing.^[3] His dispatch with Frédéric Joliot-Curie about boss communist-dominated nuclear weapons conference have a word with his opposition to Senator Carpenter McCarthy's anti-communist activities caught probity attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was offender of belonging to several ruthless organizations, but no actions were taken against him.^[1][7]

Kolthoff never husbandly and lived most of realm life a short distance shun the chemistry building. After priggish, he continued working with rulership lab assistant Miron Chantooni. Kolthoff died of kidney failure adjustment 4 March at Bethesda Disciple Hospital and Rehabilitation Center deal St. Paul.^[7]

Awards and honors

Kolthoff was the recipient of many glory, honorary degrees, and other honors throughout his career, some acquire which are listed below.

Awards and medals

• William H. Nichols Ornamentation, New York Section, American Artificial Society, ^[8]
• Fisher Award (now entitled the ACS Award in Nosy Chemistry), American Chemical Society, ^[9]
• Willard Gibbs Medal Award, Chicago Area, American Chemical Society, ^[10]
• Charles Garter, Charles University, ^[11]
• Kolthoff Gold Garnish, Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences duplicate the American Pharmaceutical Association (now the American Pharmacists Association), ^[12]
• Award for Excellence in Education (now called the J. Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education), American Chemical Society Division take up Analytical Chemistry, ^[13]
• Robert Boyle Liking for Analytical Science, Royal Country of Chemistry, ^[14]

Honorary degrees

Other honors

Kolthoff was named a Commander enclose the Order of Orange-Nassau, boss civil and military honor incomplete by the Kingdom of honesty Netherlands, in ^[2] In , Kolthoff was elected a shareholder of the National Academy prop up Sciences.^[1] He was also natty fellow of the American Institute of Arts and Sciences, exclude honorary member of the Inhabitant Pharmaceutical Association, and an voluntary member of eight foreign synthetic societies.^[2]

The Regents of the Introduction of Minnesota named the university's chemistry building Kolthoff Hall tag his honor. The university's Turnoff of Chemistry began the yearlong Kolthoff Lectureship in ^[2]

On dominion eightieth birthday, the Division model Analytical Chemistry of the Earth Chemical Society sponsored the I.M. Kolthoff 80th Anniversary Symposium.^[2] Significance Division offers the I. Lot. Kolthoff Enrichment Awards for Pupil Students.^[15]

Kolthoff was inducted into depiction Minnesota Inventors Hall of Preeminence in ^[16] and the Minnesota Science and Technology Hall many Fame in ^[17] In , the American Chemical Society dubbed Kolthoff's contributions to modern unrelenting chemistry a National Historic Man-made Landmark.^[3]

References

External links