Analytical Chemistry and Automation

INTRODUCTION To describe the relationship between analytical chemistry and automation is at the same time to describe the present position of both these fields, each of which strongly influences the other. We must give each its proper terms, and define the limits of their application. In so doing, we are considering not only the present position of analytical chemistry in its relationship to other branches of science, but also its own inner structure. If we consider, as the first stage of our approach, the overall view of the subject, the underlying difference between chemical analysis and analytical chemistry is quickly apparent to use. We find that today's analytical chemistry is a co-ordination of chemical analysis with physical, biological and statistical methods, to name some of the more important. Therefore I cannot follow the statement of Liebhafsky made about two years ago: "like it or not—chemistry is going out of analytical chemistry!" If we consider the steady changing of every branch of science and knowing that physics had already been in — in analytical chemistry since the first balance was used — I prefer to say, in answering Liebhafsky "Happy enough, physics more and more is going into analytical chemistry without knocking out chemistry". Analytical chemistry may be considered the general approach to the study of materials whose properties we wish to investigate and understand, and it is of little consequence which methods we use to attain our end. Furthermore, it is apparent that the current division of analytical chemistry into only two groups is now insufficient, and the following four groups should at least be considered, in answer to the following questions':