Analytical innovation at Dow Chemical honoured as a National Historic Chemical Landmark

An innovation at The Dow Chemical Company that laid the groundwork for modern analytical techniques has been honoured as the American Chemical Society’s newest National Historic Chemical Landmark.

The ceremony recognising the designation took place in Midland, Michigan, where the company was founded in 1897.

Bonnie Charpentier, President of the American Chemical Society, said: “Through this designation, we pay tribute to the vision and ingenuity of the Dow scientists Fred McLafferty and Roland Gohlke, who first combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry more than 60 years ago.”

“In doing so, they created some of the most ubiquitous, powerful tool sin the analytical toolbox.”

By coupling the ability of gas chromatography to separate a chemical mixture with the ability of mass spectrometry to identify its component, the combined technique proved revolutionary, and GC-MS is now routinely used for speedy analysis in forensics, environmental monitoring, drug testing of athletes, and other applications.

 Wayde Konze, Senior R&D Director for analytical sciences at Dow, said: “It isn’t widely known that GC-MS was invented here in Midland. That will change with the recognition of the National Historic Chemical Landmark.”

“Dow has a strong tradition of innovations in analytical chemistry and across the entire field of chemistry. That traditional is alive and well today as inventive scientists continue to solve hard problems and push the boundaries of what is possible.”