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REPORT FOR ANALYSTS The radioisotope storage room at the University of Michigan is seen through a 3 foot thick window. The facilities and equipment at Michigan are relatively extensive compared to most universities courses where given or by apprenticing himself to someone working in the field. The" apprentice training, how- ever, is generally limited to work with a few tracers such as C 14 rather than an acquaintance with the over-all field. There has been little progress in establishing university laboratory courses in the past decade. The Oak Ridge Institute, with its one- month handling course, has been the largest producer of trained personnel. Laboratory courses are being given at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology, Rensselaer Polytechnic In- stitute, the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, and a few other places. Some universities have specialized graduate courses for nu- clear chemists. In many cases reluctance to es- tablish a laboratory course may be based on the idea that there is a lot of work involved. If tracer work were incorporated at the advanced undergraduate level, students would accept this technique as a routine method rather than a "freak." Assay of vitamin B 12 by the isotope dilution method is a good example. Complete coverage of the field of tracer work could be given to graduate students and some seniors. At this stage it is important that the student be introduced to a vari- ety of techniques. Overemphasis on easily set up experiments, such as measurements, should be avoided. The nuclear aspects are sometimes overemphasized at the expense of appreciation for tracer problems. Typical Course. At the University of Michigan a nuclear chemical tech- niques course has been given for six years. One object is to give students a sufficiently broad background in nuclear and tracer techniques so that they can get radioisotopes from the Atomic Energy Commission. It is designed to serve not only chemists, but· biochemists, zoologists, pharma- cologists, chemical engineers, nuclear engineers, physicists, and others. Of the 80 students who have taken the course, only a small percentage have been nuclear chemists. The course consists of one hour of lecture and four hours of laboratory a week. The schedule consists of roughly five parts: three weeks each on counting experiments, weak β- emitting materials such as C 14 , inor- ganic separations such as precipita- tion, ion exchange, and solvent ex- traction, tracer experiments such as exchange rates and solubility product determination, and high level experi- ments including activation analysis with portable neutron sources, work with portable lead "caves" in a hood, and work in glove boxes. Plans are Argonne National Laboratory has ex- tensive facilities for training in the field of radiochemistry You get these added advantages with S&S Analytical Filter Papers • Lower Ash Content than any filter paper we have tested—less than 0.007% for quantitative grades. • Higher Alpha Cellulose Con- tent than any filter paper we have tested—97-98% for quantitative and qualitative grades. m No Price Premium. Your com- pany purchasing agent pays no more for the finest. For the chemist who can specify his brand of filter papers. S&S Analyti- cal Filter Papers offer outstanding advantages. These advantages are possible because of the skill, care and quality control methods used by S & S from selection of raws through to the finished product. Every Lot Pre-lested A substantial test portion of each batch of S & S Analytical Filter Papers is used for quality control determinations in our laboratories. This helps assure that you receive fil- ter papers uniform physically and chemically—lot after lot, month after month, year after year. Specify S&S Analytical Filter Papers for extra advantages to you in your work at no extra cost. Get the "mar- gin of safety" in your analyses that comes with using what many chem- ists believe to be the finest analytical filter paper in the world. FREE SAMPLER Contains assortment of quantitative and qualitative glades. Also, S & S Filtra- tion Chart, Quick Reference Catalog, table of compara- tive filter paper grades. Carl Schleicher & Schuell Co. Keene, New Hampshire · Dept. A-97 Circle No. 21 A on Readers' Service Card, page 99 A VOL. 29, N O . 9, SEPTEMBER 1957 · 21 A
