ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY EDITORIAL

December 1957, Vol. 29, No. 12 APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS

Director of Publications, C. B. Larrabee

Editorid Direcfor, Walter J. Murphy

Executive Editor, James M. Crowe

Production Monager, Joseph H. Kuney Analytical Interest Strong in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Editor, Lawrence T. Hallett Managing Editor, Robert G. Gibbr

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Nuclear Energy GOWING interest on the part of analysts in the field of nuclear energy

is evident from even a casual perusal of published literature in this field.

In some ways the work of the analyst is less dramatic than that of scientists and engineers working with such end products as atomic weapons or radioisotopes used to fight man’s ills or solve knotty indus- trial problems. His work, however, represents a major contribution to progress in the field. Without the analyst’s research, i t seems fair to state that there would be no atomic energy industry.

X decade ago when the atomic field was emerging from security wraps, a symposium was held on the role of the analytical chemist in atomic energy. Cosponsors of the program, the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY’S Division of Analytical Chemistry and AXALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, indi- cated their awareness of the significance of this subject by initiating the symposium.

Continued interest and importance of this field were shown in the second summer symposium devoted to this topic last June. Several of the scientific papers presented a t this meeting appear in the current issue. Others appeared in a condensed form in the Report for Analysts entitled “Nuclear Technique Training for Analysts Lagging” (September 1957).

Progress in the intervening decade has been based on the hard work of many analysts. Their contributions have established the basis upon which future progress will be built.

In looking over back issues of ANALYTIC-~L CHEMISTRY, even we were surprised to note the large number of technical papers published on this subject. Scarcely a month goes by that ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY does not publish one or more research articles on nuclear energy. Other editorial subjects also have reflected current interest in this topic. In several cover photographs and Laboratories of the Month, for example, there are references to the use of radioactive materials in analytical lab- oratories. A recent Report for ilnalysts (Kovember 1957) described the “Analytical Chemist in Suclear Technology.” Even the Xew Products, New Chemicals, and Manufacturer’s Literature columns are a barometer of developments.

The story on the recent First Annual Conference on Analytical Chemistry in Nuclear Reactor Technology (page 33A) also emphasizes the broad scope of analytical interest in this field.

While this discussion may seem to be “blowing one’s horn,” our objec- tive in writing the editorial is to focus attention on the vital role played by the analyst in developing atomic energy. The editors feel that this area of technology is still in its infancy and that many significant de- velopments lie ahead.

VOL. 29, NO. 12, DECEMBER 1957 1725