State-of-the-art in organic elemental micro and ultramicro analysis

Abstract

Nernst developed a quartz torsion microbalance in 1903. In consequence of this pioneering work, Emich in the Technical University of Graz, Austria, had systematized a series of chemical operations in microscale as well as a microchemical analysis. Further advances in technique and method of organic microanalysis had been accomplished by Pregl in Graz in 1912. His work had been strongly supported by a “new” microbalance which was known as “Kuhlmann microbalance”. Pregl's original methods of analysis were arranged and published in 1916 as “Die quantitative organische Mikroanalyse”. It is still noteable that the Nobel prize of 1933 had been presented to Dr. Pregl. In accordance with a combination of electronic microbalance and computer techniques, organic elemental microanalysis has grown to include advanced instrumentation and on-line computation. Successful adaptation of microchemical analysis has expanded today not only to pure organic compounds, but on industrial intermediates, polymers, food additives and many other compositions. The paper includes a discussion of the relative merits of “traditional” and “modern” analytical techniques together with the progression of microbalances. Recent developments in organic micro and ultramicro analysis in Japan are also described.