ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY IN UK UNIVERSITIES 169 Analytical Chemistry in UK Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges This article is the second in a series that will describe current activities in analytical chem- istry departments and sections in UK Uni- versities, Polytechnics and Colleges. It is hoped that the details that will be given of individual projects being undertaken by the various members of staff in each establishment will be of use to analytical chemists elsewhere and will help to generate contacts between workers in similar areas who may be unaware of research being carried out within their own sphere of interest. As far as possible the names of staff and their current research activities will be detailed in order to facilitate personal contacts.Several articles have been invited so far and will be published at intervals ; however, con- tributions from any departments with an interest in analytical chemistry are welcome and should be sent to the Editor, who will also be pleased to advise on the general content of the articles.Analytical Chemistry in the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, Cardiff The decision of the Welsh College of Advanced Technology, in 1961, t o appoint a Senior Lecturer “to be responsible for all instruction in inorganic and analytical chemistry” with the added requirement “to play a prominent part in developing new courses and research” heralded the way for analytical chemistry per se to have an important place in teaching and research a t what was later to become The University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (U\VIST).The appointment was given to J. D. R. ‘Thomas. Having held lecturing appointments to degree level in various colleges, albeit in inorganic and physical chemistry, Thomas had already applied to his teaching and research the interest in analytical chemistry obtained by earlier experience in industry and in a public analyst’s laboratory. Also, in 1958 he had devised and planned one of the first “Advanced Analytical Chemistry” courses to exist as an endorsement to the Higher Xational Certificate in Chemistry, which was run a t the South East Essex Technical College (now part of the North East London Polytechnic).Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry There could not have been a more apt moment for an appointment.The planning stage of a 4-year sandwich course for the Diploma in Technology, later to become the BSc(Tech) (Wales) degree in Industrial Chemis- try, soon to be under way, meant that it was possible to start afresh. In this course, analytical chemistry was to have a prominent place alongside the more traditional inorganic, organic and physical chemistry and be supported by the basics of chemical plant and industry (chemical technology), polymer chemistry, mathematics, statistics, computing, physics, communication, economics, business adminis- tration and accountancy.Analytical chemistry is equally well placed in certain other degree courses a t UWIST, where chemistry stands alongside polymer chemistry and technology and environmental science.The result is that all undergraduates in the Chemistry Department, housed in the Redwood Building in Cathays Park, follow lecture courses of about 40 hours duration in analytical chemis- try and most have an option of following a further course of 25 hours. ,41so, students of Applied Biology have a lecture course of 20 hours. These courses are well supported by practical classes (more than 25 hours are provided each week of the university year) and together give the undergraduate direct experience of snalyt- ical chemistry with supplementation for those on analytical work during industrial training or final year projects.Despite the dearth of suitable texts, the challenge of preparing courses in which the lecture and practical material are inter-related has been stimulating and the results are appreciated by students.Some experiments involve minor investigations and literature surveys.170 ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY IN UK UNIVERSITIES Proc. AnaZyt. Div. Chenz. Soc. The prominence of analytical chemistry in the undergraduate curriculum had the clear support of Mr. A. H. Henson, who headed the Chemistry Department until his retirement in 1976.The activity now has the enthusiastic approval of his successor, Professor David R. Williams. Research Teaching cannot thrive without the spirit of enquiry and research. Members of staff (J. D. R. Thomas, Reader; G. J. Moody, Senior Lecturer; P. M. May, Lecturer; T. P. Jones, Lecturer; P. J. F. Griffiths, Senior Lecturer; K. Fish, Lecturer; W. J. Criddle, Senior Lecturer; and R.Fielding, Demonstrator) concerned with teaching are also normally active with final year undergraduate projects and/or research. For research, the view’ of analytical chemistry as “the examination of a material to establish its properties, its qualities and the identification and/or determination of the amount of some or all of its constituents” needs to be broader and has to extend into the realm of methods for analytical chemistry, including an assessment of their advantages and limitations.Both methods and applications are represented in research activities relating to analytical chemistry a t UWIST and are supported by industry, Research Councils, Government Departments, charitable bodies, etc. Live Research Projects EJectvoanalysis By reason of its activities in ion-selective electrodes, TJWIST has had a considerable hand in one of the more recent and exciting develop- ments in electroanalytical chemistry.This is associated in particular with the new series of PVC matrix membrane ion-selective electrodes, first reported in what has turned out to be a regularly cited key paper.2 The work has led to several new ion-selective electrodes based on sensors of liquid ion exchangers, improvements in calcium ion-selective electrodes and assess- ments of the scope of tetraphenylborate salts of metal ion complexes of polyalkyleneoxyglycoIs as ion sensors.These areas are under con- tinuing study by J. D. R. Thomas, G. J. Moody, B. Doyle, N. S. Nassory, C. G. D. Jones, Ililys L. Jones and S.K. Hassan, as are develop- ments in the grafting of ion sensors to polymeric matrices. Ion buffers can be employed usefully to extend the calibration ranges of ion-selective electrodes and with computer techniques can be used in studies of free ion levels in the presence of complexing agents (Professor David I<. Williams, J. D. R. Thomas, G. J. Moody, P. M. May and A. Craggs) .Crystal membrane ion-selective electrodes are also of considerable interest (J. D. R. Thomas, G. J . Moody, E. Jane Duffield, D. J . Crombie and N. S. Nassory). Applications such as monitoring sulphide produced by sulphate- reducing bacteria, or thiols in process streams, and examining causes of failure and restrictions in detection limits are still under scrutiny. Such work with the copper(T1) ion-selective electrode has involved co-operation from University College, Swansea, a sister college to UlYIST within The University of Wales ; in this work the Auger spectroscopic patterns of electrode mem- branes have been assessed in relation to their potentiometric behaviour.Co-operative programmes are a regular characteristic of the Science Research Council’s CASE i4ward Scheme.The industries con- nected with these programmes in analytical chemistry a t UWIST (Unilever Research, ESSO Research, EDT Research, etc., each in associa- tion with J . D. R. Thomas and G. J . Moody) provide opportunities for additional stimuli during postgraduate research training. This also applies to those projects fully supported by industry, such as the present project in\-olving Lion Laboratories in another area of electro- analysis in which the nature of a novel range of fuel cells as sensors for determining ethanol and other vapours is examined (T.P. Jones, 31. Xeame and M. G. Carter). Polarography has its stake in the possible analytical role of the effect of imidazoles on the half-wave potential of copper(I1) - copper(1) in the presence of citrate (J.D. R. Thomas, G. J . Moody and G. C . F. Clark). Sepavations and extvacfiom A closc association exists with J. Harvey and Sons in work on the sherry maturation process (W. J. Cricldle). This involves solvent extrac- tion and gas chromatography - mass spectro- metry and highlights Criddle’s more general interests in gas chromatography and HPIX. These interests have resulted in pyrolysis - gas chromatography met h ocls for the simultaneous chromatographic determination of paraquat and diquat in pond and river waters and cetri- mide in pharmaceutical preparations.Con- tinuing work on determining herbicide traces and assessing the tainting of potable water supplies (in conjunction with The \Trelsh l17ater Authority) is coupled with studies o f the thermal breakdown of tertiary ammonium compounds (W. J.Cricldle, Judith Thomas and Sandra J. Lucas) .-Way, 1979 ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY I N UK UNIVERSITIES 171 Interest in the scope of ion exchange and electrophoresis in non-aqueous and mixed solvent systems continues and the ion-exchange sorption properties of surfactants are currently under study (J. D. R. Thomas, G.J. Moody and J. 0. Rutherford). A new tack is the use of foams for supporting liquid ion exchangers and solvent extractants for analytical separations and extractions and this work is helped along by a link with Eotvos University, Budapest (J. D. R. Thomas, G. J. MoodyandM. Maloney). Studies of ion transport through PVC matrices containing various selective agents are well under way.An interesting phenomenon of possible analytical use is the transport of ions against their concentration gradients (J. D. R. Thomas, G. J. Moody and B. Doyle with advice from P. J . F. Griffiths on the use of radio- tracers). Activities outside the chemistry depavtvnent As in other universities, departments other than chemistry have interests in analytical chemistry.Thus, nutritional and other studies of vitamin C in applied biology have stimulated an ion-exchange stage in order to improve the analysis of urinary vitamin C (R. E. Hughes). However, as was recently emphasised by S e l b ~ , ~ it is in pharmacy that analytical chemis- try can occupy a central problem-solving role. In consequence, there are several research lines in pharmacy related to analytical chemis- try.The principal ones concern various pro- cedural improvements and separations by gas, high-performance liquid and thin-layer chro- matography (M. S. F. Ross, P. J. Nichols, D. K. Luscombe, K. R. Brain, P. Girgis-Takla and T. D. Turner) and, of course, particle size analysis (M. I. Barnett and N. A. Armstrong). Kuclear magnetic resonance is focused on methods for determining drugs and related materials, for example, pyrimethamine (V.Askam). Atomic spectroscopy features in determi- nations of lead in plastic containers (P. Girgis- Takla and I. Chroneos). General More general research activities necessarily often involve analytical chemistry. Those in pharmacy as well as those projects in chemistry on compounds of medicinal interest, for example, on the synthesis of chromones, thioamides and ylidenemalononitriles, are heavily dependent on the kind of analytical procedures and methods so vividly expressed by Selby3 as the hub of pharmaceutical development.The pollution and ecological researches of applied biology are also heavily dependent on analytical chemistry and particularly on atomic spectroscopy for assessments of metal contamination in rivers, etc.Even developments in analytical chemistry itself will use established methods, as in the synthesis and appraisal of new ion-selective electrode materials where nuclear magnetic resonance (with advice from K, Fish), ultra- violet and infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, gel permeation and thin-layer chro- matography, atomic spectroscopy, radiotracer methods, potentiometry, permittivity methods, etc., have all played their part (J.D. R. Thomas and others). Within this group, members participate in weekly seminars and each member is required to present a talk once every six to eight weeks. Furthermore, written reports are required monthly as evidence of progress. Such experience is complemented by periodic reports to sponsors and participation and attendance a t departmental colloquia and at meetings outside UWIST.Conclusion The breadth of analytical chemistry is such that a single department or institution cannot cover all facets. There must be specialisation and in research members of UWIST concentrate within the areas of electroanalysis and separa- tion. However, the above experiences and the availability and general use of a wide range of analytical methods ensure a full picture of analytical chemistry. This is enriched by many links, manifested by visits and exchanges by several individual researchers between UWIST and universities and other establish- ments in Britain, Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle and Far East, the TJSA, Africa and Australia. References 1. Jones, A. G., Proc. Soc. Analyt. Chem., 1073, 2. Moody, G. J., Oke, R. B., and Thomas, 3. Selby, I. A., Chemistry in Britain, 1978, 14, 10, 101. J. D. R., Analyst, 1970, 95, 910. 606. J. D. R. Thomas Chemistry Department, Redwood Building, UWIST, Cardifl, CF 1 3N U