Rethinking industrial analytical chemistry

Abstract

The analytical chemistry business is booming. Contract manufacturers have significantly expanded their analytical labs in recent years to keep pace with regulatory requirements and customer demand for data. At dedicated analytical service firms, business is growing as drug companies and customers in other industries seek out backup resources for their in-house labs and manufacturing plants. That growing demand is creating lots of analytical chemistry jobs. The sometimes-repetitive nature of the work, however, often leads chemists to move on to other fields, such as drug discovery or academic research, creating a serious churn in hiring and on-the-job training. But analytical chemistry is changing with the advent of new measurement and data tools. Quality management efforts, especially in the life sciences, have boosted the importance of analysis as well as the demand for chemists. University chemistry departments and companies that employ analytical chemists are working hard to breathe new life into the