Inorganic Chemistry Professor Recognized for Contributions to Ion Chromatography

Professor John D Lamb recently received an award for “sustained and significant contribution” to ion chromatography at the International Ion Chromatography Symposium in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 17-20.

Dr. Andreas Seubert, a professor at the University of Marburg, Germany and organizer of this year’s symposium, presented the 2012 Ion Chromatography Award to Dr. Lamb at the conference, which has been held nearly every year since 1988. Dr. Lamb, who goes to the symposium frequently, estimated that about 200 scientists from around the world typically attend. Recipients of the Ion Chromatography Award are selected from a pool of nominees by an awards committee and are invited to give a lecture in conjunction with receiving the award.

Dr. Lamb delivered a lecture about his group’s research, “Applying Host-Guest Chemistry to Ion Chromatography.”

“Host-guest chemistry involves interactions where guest molecules or ions are selectively bound by host molecules in such a way as to make the separation of guest chemical species possible,” Dr. Lamb explained. “An example of that is the use of 18-crown-6 (the host molecule) to separate inorganic anions (the guest species) via a new technique we developed called capacity gradient chromatography.”

Dr. Lamb’s current projects involve host molecules which are much more complex than 18-crown-6, but the principle is the same, he said. He is collaborating with Dr. Roger Harrison on this project with funding from Thermo Fisher Dionex, a global corporation for scientific research equipment based in California.

“I was amazed and pleased when I was notified I would receive the award,” Dr. Lamb said.

By Jessica Henrie

Courtesy of Dr. John Lamb