Mendeleyev Research Articles

Oil pipeline from Siberia to the sea

The idea of transporting oil in pipelines from inland wells to sea ports, was suggested by Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1863, and in 1878 the American Nobel brothers built a pipeline in the US. Tested and tried as the concept is, the transportation of oil across 4857 km is still no mean engineering feat.

Mementos Of A Scientist, Laboratory Cocktails

Galileo Galilei’s telescopes are housed at the Museo Galileo, in Italy, and Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical sketches will soon be shown at Buckingham Palace, in England. But historians have saved more than just the celebrated works and possessions of famous scientists of yore—they’ve also kept the “disarmingly mundane,” according to a Dec. 7, 2011, Guardian blog post. Renditions of Dmitri Mendeleev’s iconic periodic table have been plastered on chemistry classroom walls for decades, but what has happened to his hairbrush, his slacks, and his dining room chairs? Well, we don’t know about those, but the archives of the Royal Society, in London, do possess a small ornate envelope that Mendeleev sent from Russia to England in 1901. Inside are two of Mendeleev’s business cards, one of which was used to introduce his (presumably junior) colleague Dr. Duncan to the Royal Society’s Professor Thorpe. Talk about a good letter of recommendation. ...

Role of the periodic table in discovery of new elements

Abstract This year (2009) marks the 140th Anniversary of Mendeleev's original 1869 periodic table of the elements based on atomic weights. It also marks the 175th anniversary of his birth in Tolbosk, Siberia. The history of the development of periodic tables of the chemical elements is briefly reviewed beginning with the presentation by Dmitri Mendeleev and his associate Nikolai Menshutkin of their original 1869 table based on atomic weights. The value, as well as the sometimes negative effects, of periodic tables in guiding the discovery of new elements based on their predicted chemical properties is assessed. It is noteworthy that the element with Z=101 (mendelevium) was identified in 1955 using chemical techniques. The discoverers proposed the name mendelevium to honor the predictive power of the Mendeleev Periodic Table. Mendelevium still remains the heaviest element to have been identified first by chemical rather than nuclear or physical techniques. The question concerning whether there will be a future role for the current form of the periodic table in predicting chemical properties and aid in the identification of elements beyond those currently known is considered.

Age of the Shirshov submarine ridge basement (Bering Sea) based on the results of investigation of zircons using the U-Pb SHRIMP method

The Shirshov Ridge holds an important position in the structure of the Bering Sea Basin. Stretching from north to south for over 500 km, it divides the Bering Sea into two deep water basins, the Aleutian and Komandorsky basins. The age of oceanic crust of the Aleutian basin based on linear magnetic anomalies is conventionally considered Early Cretaceous, of the Komandorsky basin — Miocene, according to the K-Ar dating of the basalts (9.8 Ma) exposed in 191 deep water drill borehole. Rocks belonging to the basement of the Shirshov Ridge were dredged during the 29th cruise of research vessel Dmitrii Mendeleev and are represented by amphibolitic gabbro whose composition is similar to that of gabbroids of mid-oceanic ridges. The age of metamorphism based on the results of K-Ar dating of amphibole is 47 ± 5 Ma. The U-Pb zircon dating method was used to determine the age of gabbro. Zircons were extracted from a ∼5 kg combined amphibolitic gabbroid sample, and the age of zircons was determined using a SHRIMP-II sensitive high resolution secondary ion microprobe (Center of Isotopic Studies, A.P. Karpinskii Russian Geological Research Institute, St. Petersburg). The average concordant age value for the 25 determinations performed based on 20 points for 18 grains is 72 ± 1.4 Ma (Late Campanian). For 5 grains, the measured age values are within the range of 88 ± 3.5 Ma to 126.5 ± 4.5 Ma. Given the western vergence of the thrust structure of the Shirshov Ridge, the acoustic basement of the Shirshov Ridge is most probably a complexly deformed oceanic crust of the Aleutian Trench, which most likely dates from the Early to Late Cretaceous.

Hydrochemical characteristics of the waters in the western part of the Kara Sea

Hydrochemical studies of the Kara Sea were included into the program of the integrated expedition during cruise 54 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh (September 9–30, 2007). In several sea areas quite different in their weather conditions, a large set of hydrochemical analyses was carried out, including the determination of the primary nutrients (silicon and different forms of nitrogen and phosphorus), the dissolved oxygen content, and the total alkalinity and pH values. The report presents the hydrochemical conditions in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea and the most striking results from the authors’ viewpoint. The data were compared to those of the integrated oceanographic expedition of cruise 49 of the R/V Dmitry Mendeleev in 1993.

WHEN SCIENCE WENT INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCES ARE so ubiquitous these days that it’s hard to imagine academic life without them, but 150 years ago this was not the case. On Sept. 3, 1860, the first-ever international scientific conference took place in Karlsruhe, Germany. Besides being an academic landmark, the meeting was essential for clarifying several major conundrums that were stymieing chemistry at the time, enabling the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev and the German chemist Lothar Meyer, who were both in attendance, to later construct the first correct periodic tables. To celebrate the anniversary, a commemorative conference was scheduled for Sept. 3–4 in Karlsruhe. As C&EN was set to go to press, the meeting was to include presentations from high-profile researchers, including several Nobel Prize winners, on how chemistry might help solve the world’s most important challenges in areas such as energy and climate change. Because of their significance for the discipline of chemistry today, these issues were selected to parallel ...

Notes on Contributors

<i>Notes on Contributors</i>

Alternative techniques for deep-water monitoring

A cruise of the Soviet R/V “Dmitry Mendeleyev” in the Mediterranean Sea in 1989 is mentioned as the first step towards an international cooperation for high energy neutrino astrophysics in the Mediterranean. New proposals are considered related to carrying out common investigations connected with the construction of a large-scale neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean. In these investigations new techniques, which were developed in the last years or are being developed now by the Russian institutes, could be used, and in particular: (1) a system of multi-parameter non-tethered probes for deep-water hydrographic measurements, (2) a bottom-mounted acoustical antenna consisting of smart digital hydrophones, and (3) a deep-water scintillation spectrometer for the determination of the composition and for measuring the concentration of dissolved radionuclides. Given the necessity of making a best choice for the KM3 Neutrino Telescope construction, the idea of using light-weight flexible elements for making a “flexible tower” presented at the Taormina Workshop in 1997 is reviewed.

The concept of atom from the Greek philosophers to the Karlsruhe congress

This review paper, delivered upon invitation at the international meeting held in Rome at the Accademia dei Lincei to commemorate the 150 anniversary of the birth of Dimitri Mendeleev, presents an historical survey of the development of the concept of atoms from the ancient Greek philosophers to the famous speech given by Stanislao Cannizzaro at the Karlsruhe congress in 1860. The review focuses the attention on some key items that have marked the development of the atomic concept, namely the contrast between the discrete and continuum in physical theories, the transfer of the endless divisibility of geometry to the physical world, the quarrel on the existence of void and the difficulty of accepting the action at a distance.

Mendeleev, the man and his matrix: Dmitri Mendeleev, aspects of his life and work: was he a somewhat fortunate man?

This article traces the life of Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev from childhood in Siberia, through education and training to become the first formulator of the Periodic Table, the logo of chemistry. His unique contribution is described and analysed; what factors helped him be the first formulator? What did he do after making his most famous discovery? In addition the article peeps into his personal life, his dealings with his family and the authorities. Finally we look at honours he received in later life.

Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev: scientist, citizen and personality

According to D. I. Mendeleev’s self-examination, four subjects, more than others, have made his name: Periodic Law, studying physics of gases at low pressure (the gas state equation), the concept of solution as a composition of molecular associates and “The Principles of Chemistry”. In fact, Mendeleev’s scientific interests and his creative activity, besides pure chemistry, stretched over such distant fields as industry (17% of his publications are related to this area), economics (14%), metrology (11%), aeronautics (9%) and agriculture (7%). The Periodic Law seems to constitute only a fragment of his heritage, yet we cannot recount the history of chemistry without admiring the author of the discovery. The life and science of Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev is reviewed in short in this paper.

The philosophical significance of Mendeleev’s successful predictions of the properties of gallium and scandium

The philosophical significance of Dmitri Mendeleev’s successful predictions of the properties of gallium and scandium vis a vis the acceptance of the Periodic Table 1874–1886 has been debated recently. This author presents evidence that De Boisbaudran and Cleve both respectively predicted the possible existence of gallium and scandium, but on the basis of the old TRIAD methodology. This suggests that these successful Mendeleev predictions were therefore not independent corroboration of the concept of the Periodic System. Instead the significantly independent predictive successes for Mendeleev’s system were (a) the determination of the atomic weight of the known element uranium as 240 instead of the previously accepted 120 in 1874 and (b) the isolation of germanium by Winkler in 1886.

Dmitry Mendeleev: 140 years from the presentation of the periodic system

A symposium dedicated to the periodic system, 140 years after its presentation (1st March 1869), has been organized on 28–29 May 2009 in Palazzo Corsini (Rome) by Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, with the support of Fondazione Donegani. The symposium was intended to celebrate one of the major discoveries of humanity by the Russian chemist Dmitri Ivanovic Mendeleev. At that time it had been established that matter was formed by a certain number of elements, linked to each other by a regular progression of properties. As the science of transformation, Chemistry was expected to work out not only classification systems, but also criteria for passing from an element to another one and anticipating its properties. Fundamental to this aim was the concept of periodicity. Mendeleev noted that by ordering the elements known at that time according to their increasing atomic weight certain properties recurred: if elements were placed horizontally along lines corresponding to series (periods), those with similar properties (groups) appeared vertically in columns. It is appropriate to recall at this point that the great Italian chemist Stanislao Cannizzaro offered a fundamental contribution, which was acknowledged by Mendeleev himself. In the following years all the elements (now 118, of which 117 confirmed) were placed into a table where they were ordered no longer according to their atomic weight but according to their atomic number (corresponding to the number of electrons). Two transition series, where elements resemble each other more than in a group, were also included. This systematization, achieved by Mendeleev incompletely when the electronic theory and quantum mechanics were not yet developed, represents one of the wonders of science because it is both an efficient mnemonic system and a predictive tool. It is sufficient to look at the position of an element in the Table for inferring its relevant properties. Already in its initial formulation the system revealed its extraordinary power in that it allowed to foresee the existence of not yet known elements, which corresponded to empty boxes in the Periodic Table. The predictive power of the system still was at its beginnings, however, and would allow later to foresee essential properties such as electronegativity (which is

English

The technical community of regulators and engineers that specializes in passive water treatment should be familiar with the passive treatment that was published by the former US Bureau of Mines about 14 years ago. The decision tree was originally intended to address mining influenced water (MIW) from coal mines. But since then, the breadth of passive treatment has expanded to embrace precious and base metal mines, uranium mines, and even gravel pits. Each MIW has its unique signature, either imposed by the natural geochemical conditions of the ore body and surrounding mine waste, or by resource recovery processes that may include heap leaching or traditional hydrometallurgical technologies. In the context of the elements of the periodic table, the decision tree certainly could be improved as it was originally developed to focus on coal geology derived MIW which typically contains acidity/alkalinity, iron, aluminum and manganese. For example, the expanded decision tree could consider residual ammonia or nitrates from blasting, cyanide from heap leach pad rinsing, trace amounts of selenium, or other parameters that may require passive treatment at a given mine, coal or otherwise. However, developing an individual decision tree for each MIW element or suite of elements and their species would be a daunting task and would probably introduce more confusion where simplicity is desired. With apologies to Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, a Periodic Table of Passive Treatment could become a useful design tool to satisfy the need to embrace a larger range of MIW chemistries. The revised, color-coded table presented in this paper focuses on identifying passive treatment methods that have been observed to work on specific elements or species of elements typically found in MIW that is based on the author's experience or other practitioner's of the technology. The author offers it as a starting point that could be enhanced with further study, to include geochemical modeling and speciation investigations in existing passive treatment systems.

V. Gouverneur

Abstract„The biggest challenge facing scientists is finding a way to make clean energy. If I could have dinner with three famous scientists from history, they would be Marie Curie, Dmitri Mendeleev, and Henri Moissan. …︁“ This and more about Véronique Gouverneur can be found on page 3559.magnified image

Mendeleyev vodka challenge

Mendeleyev vodka challenge

The Periodic Table and the Platinum Group Metals

The year 2007 marked the centenary of the death of Dmitri Mendeleev (1834–1907). This article discusses how he and some of his predecessors accommodated the platinum group metals (pgms) in the Periodic Table, and it considers the placing of their three transuranic congeners: hassium ( 108 Hs), meitnerium ( 109 Mt) and darmstadtium ( 110 Ds). Over twenty-five years ago McDonald and Hunt () wrote an excellent account of the pgms in their periodic context. This account is indebted to that work. The present article introduces new perspectives and shows some of the relevant tables. There are good books on the history of the Periodic Table, e.g. (, ) and other texts (, ) which provide a fuller picture than it is possible to give here.

Clay minerals in recent sediments of the World Ocean and their relation to types of lithogenesis

Problem of the distribution of clay minerals in water areas of the World Ocean and their relation to different (humid, arid, and volcanosedimentary) types of lithogenesis is considered. It is shown that layer silicates can be used as index minerals for distinguishing types of lithogenesis under conditions of marine sedimentation. Humid marine lithogenesis is represented by sediments of the White, Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean seas. Genetic link of marine clay formation with soil-climatic zones is clearly manifested in recent sediments of the World Ocean. Accumulation of statistic data on the mineral composition of clays allowed us to distinguish two modes of spatial-latitudinal distribution of clay minerals: maximal concentrations of illites and chlorites are confined to high latitudes, whereas kaolinite and smectite accumulate in the equatorial zone. In the arid lithogenesis, the dependence of clay formation on drainage areas is practically absent. The whole process is realized in surficial sediments and bottom waters: under conditions of intense evaporation, especially in closed water basins, the concentration of elements in the medium is enough for the synthesis of layer silicates, such as palygorskite and sepiolite. The processes were studied based on the Paleogene Fergana Bay and bottom sediments of the Sea of Aral, as well as DSDP core materials from the Atlantic (near the western coast of Africa) and Indian (the Arabian Peninsula area) oceans. The investigation of processes of volcanosedimentary lithogenesis was carried out within the East Pacific Rise (on the basis of core materials obtained during cruises of R/V Dmitry Mendeleev and Akademik Kurchatov). The results obtained made it possible to establish authigenic (primarily celadonite) K-Fe mineralization in the most active geothermal zones. The formation of clay minerals has specific features in each of the studied (humid, arid, and volcanosedimentary) types of lithogenesis. This should be taken into consideration during the lithological investigations and the study of clay mineralogy of past geological epochs. Clay minerals (particularly, unstable mixed-layered phases) are actively used as index minerals for paleogeographic and climatologic reconstructions.

The Different Periodic Tables of Dmitrii Mendeleev

Between 1869 and 1905 the Russian chemist Dmitrii Mendeleev published several tables with different arrangements of the chemical elements. Four of these are compared with periodic tables by Russian scientists from 1934 and 1969. The difficulties caused by the lanthanoid elements are clearly seen in the table of 1905, which satisfactorily includes the inert gases. The Memorial Table of 1934 is based on atomic number, and correctly places both the inert gases and the lanthanoids.

Chemists’ Mendeleyev Congresses

Chemists’ Mendeleyev Congresses