Analytical science in Germany—method developments and new applications at high international standards

Abstract

As usual for industrial nations such as Germany, the analytical sciences are implemented in many different branches, such as high technologies, the natural and life sciences as well as environmental technology. Whereas routine methods are usually applied at the highest international standards in corresponding laboratories in industry or in independent analytical laboratories, most of the innovative developments in analytical science are carried out in research laboratories of universities or research institutes such as those of the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society and the Leibniz Association. In this case analytical science is not only associated with analytical chemistry but also with physics, biology, geology and medical departments and those of material sciences. This broad distribution of analytical activities is also reflected in this special issue of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. However, even though many different scientific fields contribute to innovative developments and new applications in the analytical sciences, a major activity is focused on research laboratories in analytical chemistry that have traditionally made substantial contributions to academic education in German chemistry faculties. Unfortunately, the influence of analytical chemistry as a ‘minor field of study’ in chemistry studies is decreasing in Germany, so the general importance of this branch of study must be made more obvious to the scientific community and also to the general public. In the past, analytical chemistry played a more important role in chemistry studies at German universities. The University of Leipzig, the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Eberhard Karls University Tubingen are only three of many important centres where many innovative analytical activities were carried out, and from where internationally well known analytical chemists have emerged. A tribute to one of these academic teachers in analytical chemistry from the University of Mainz, Prof. Rolf Neeb, is therefore published at the beginning of this special issue to commemorate the 80th anniversary of his birth in 2009. Rolf Neeb was an internationally well known analytical chemist in the field of electroanalytical chemistry and received his diploma under the supervision of Wilhelm Geilmann, another very important person in the German history of analytical chemistry. Also the Editor of the Fresenius’ Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Prof. Wilhelm Fresenius, was Honorary Professor of this university. During his life time he contributed greatly to the development and success of analytical chemistry in Germany. Recently, in German universities a pilot project has been evaluated to establish strategies to compare different faculties within a university and to rank them within the scientific community. Overall, chemistry demonstrated a very high standard internationally, underscoring the traditional interest in German postdoctoral researchers worldwide. However, in the final statement of the evaluation group, analytical chemistry in Germany was attested as having low visibility and only a fair reputation. This conclusion was unsatisfactory both to German analysts and to the Division of Analytical Chemistry within the German Chemical Society. Their representatives wrote a G. Gauglitz Institut fur Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Eberhard Karls University Tubingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tubingen, Germany e-mail: guenter.gauglitz@ipc.uni-tuebingen.de