Herman Schlundt (19 July 1869 in
Two Rivers, Wisconsin – 1937) was a
physical chemist from the
United States. He is most well known for extracting and refining radioactive metals from low-grade ore and industrial waste during his time as a researcher, which have had modern implications. Two buildings were named in his honor on the
University of Missouri campus in
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri. Founded in 1821, it is the principal city of the five-county Columbia metropolitan area. It is Missouri's fourth ...
.
Biography
He graduated from the
University of Wisconsin in 1894 and took his
Ph.D. at the
University of Leipzig in 1901. He was for a time connected with the faculty at the University of Wisconsin, and from 1902 was associated with that of the
University of Missouri in
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the county seat of Boone County and home to the University of Missouri. Founded in 1821, it is the principal city of the five-county Columbia metropolitan area. It is Missouri's fourth ...
, where he was professor of
physical chemistry in 1907–13, and chairman of the department of chemistry in 1910–15.
After 1924, he and William McGavock fabricated a laboratory for the refining of
mesothorium (from
monazite ore) and
radium (from discarded watch dials). It was a unique source of
thorium and was resorted to by many noted scientists, for example
Marie Curie. The lab received national press notice in 1930 and shortly thereafter closed.
[ Cited and reproduced in the ''Columbia Business Times'' article. According to the latter source, this ''Columbia Missourian'' article appeared later in '' The New York Times'' on October 19.]
Modern Times
Despite being dead for over 80 years, the activities undertaken as a researcher have had ongoing environmental impact.
Pickard Hall on the University of Missouri campus was found to be contaminated with radiation (where Schlundt conducted his work in the early 20th century). The problem first rose to awareness in the 1970's, and was eventually closed to the public in 2013 in attempt to clean the building. The hall was ultimately scheduled to be demolished in 2019 after no method to clear the radioactivity could be found.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schlundt, Herman
1869 births
1937 deaths
People from Two Rivers, Wisconsin
People from Columbia, Missouri
American physical chemists
University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
Leipzig University alumni
University of Missouri faculty
University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty