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E N O yyyy A E S S S L T A E A C R C I yyyyN S M S E E H C C T N IO A February 2005 Vol. LXXXIII, No. 6 yyyyC N • AMERI

Monthly Meeting Prof. Shana Kelley on Nanotechnological and Biomolecules

Arno Heyn Dedicated NESACS Member

Organohalogens Gordon Gribble Writes

Philip Abelson A National Figure in Science Call for Papers 20052005 ❖ Deadline – April 15, 2005 ❖ EASTERN November 14-17, 2005 ANALYTICAL Garden State Exhibit Center Somerset, NJ SYMPOSIUM

he Eastern Analytical Symposium is the second largest  meeting in the dedicated to the needs Innovation through Education  of analytical chemists and those in the allied sciences. Please help us to make the 2005 EAS the best ever–be a part of the program by contributing your own papers for inclusion in the oral or poster sessions.

To submit a contributed presentation for the 2005 EAS Technical Program, you should go to our web site, www.eas.org, after March 1, and follow the instructions for preliminary abstract submission. Invited speakers should not submit preliminary abstracts to EAS, although your session organizer may request one for his/her use. All preliminary abstracts must be submitted elec- tronically via the EAS web site at www.eas.org. The abstract submis- sion deadline is April 15, 2005. No faxed, e-mailed, or mailed prelimi- nary abstracts will be accepted.

Please carefully review the following information: 1. All preliminary contributed abstracts will be submitted electronically in 2005. No faxed, e-mailed, or mailed preliminary abstracts will be accepted. 2. The title of the presentation and the list of authors that you submit are final, and may not be changed. 3. The preliminary abstract that you submit will be considered to be your final abstract for use in the abstract book for the 2005 Eastern Analytical Symposium. 4. All preliminary abstracts will be acknowledged via e-mail. 5. Presenting authors of contributed submissions will be notified in June 2005 of the status of their abstract and its session assignment.

Eastern Analytical Symposium www.eas.org email: [email protected] P.O. Box 633 EAS Hotline: 1-610-485-4633 Montchanin, DE 19710–0633 USA EAS Faxline: 1-610-485-9467

2 The Nucleus February 2005 The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Contents Natick, MA 01760. 1-800-872-2054 (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. e-mail: [email protected] Norris Award Nominations ______4 Any Section business may be conducted Call for Nominations via the business office above. NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org Levins Award Nomination ______4 Samuel P. Kounaves, Webmaster Call for Nominations ACS Hotline, Washington, D.C.: 1-800-227-5558 Officers 2005 Monthly Meeting ______5 Chair: Prof. Shana Kelley Amy Tapper Peptimmune 64 Sidney Street, Suite 380, Arno Heyn ______6 Cambridge, MA 02139 617-715-8005; [email protected] Obituary by M. Simon Chair-Elect: Patricia Mabrouk Philip Abelson ______7 Chemistry Department, Northeastern University Boston, MA 02115 Obituary of a national figure in science 617 373 2845; [email protected] Immediate Past Chair: Jean A. Fuller-Stanley Organohalogens in Nature? Naturally! ______8 Chemistry Department, Wellesley College by Gordon Gribble Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 781-283-3224; [email protected] Secretary: William H. Avery ______12 Michael Singer Obituary by M. Simon Sigma RBI 3 Strathmore Rd. Natick, MA 01760-2447 508-651-8151x291 [email protected] Chemists and Chemical Engineers in Homeland Security ______13 Treasurer: An Interview at Natick Soldier Center by Martin Freier James Piper 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451 978-456-3155 [email protected] Cover: Arno Heyn, March, 2004 Photo credit; M. S. Simon Auditor: Anthony Rosner Archivist: Deadlines: April 2005 Issue: February 15, 2005 Myron S. Simon 20 Somerset Rd. May 2005 Issue: March 21, 2005 Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 [email protected] Trustees: Joseph A. Lima, Esther A.H. Hopkins, Michael E. Strem, The Nucleus is distributed to the members of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Councilors: Alternate Councilors: Society, to the secretaries of the Local Sections, and to editors of all local A.C.S. Section publications. Term Ends 12/31/2005 Mary T. Burgess Patrick M. Gordon Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text must be received by the Morton Z. Hoffman Lowell H. Hall editor six weeks before the date of issue. Doris I. Lewis Donald O. Rickter Editor: Mark T. Spitler, Ph.D., ChemMotif, Inc. Truman S. Light LawrenceT. Scott Email: mspitler(at)chemmotif.com; Tel: 781 376 9911; Fax: 781 376 1487 Amy E. Tapper J. Donald Smith Associate Editors: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Term Ends 12/31/2006 Michaeline F. Chen Wallace J. Gleekman Nancy Simons, Analytical Chemist, Corporate R&D, Boston Scientific Corp., Catherine E. Costello Howard R. 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Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, of THE NUCLEUS, and Tel: 781-837-0424; FAX: 781-837-8792 the Trustees of Section Contributing Editors: Morton Hoffman, Feature Editor; Dennis Sardella, Book Reviews; Funds are members of the Calendar Coordinator: Donald O. Rickter, e-mail: rickter(at)rcn.com Board of Directors. Any Proofreaders: E. Joseph Billo, Donald O. Rickter, Myron S. Simon, Ao Zhang Councilor of the American Chemical Society residing within the section area is an ex officio Webpage: Webmaster: Samuel P. Kounaves, samuel.kounaves(at)tufts.edu member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2004, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus February 2005 3 Nominations Corporate Patrons James Flack Norris Award For AstraZeneca R&D Boston Genzyme Drug Discovery & Dev. Outstanding Achievement In The Teaching Of Chemistry IBM Nominations are invited for the 2005 important part of a nominating packet. Phasex Corporation James Flack Norris Award for Out- These may show the impact of the Strem Chemicals Inc. standing Achievement in the Teaching nominee’s teaching in inspiring col- Zone Enterprises of Chemistry. The Norris Award, one leagues and students toward an active Corporate Sponsors of the oldest awards given by a Section life in chemistry and/or related sci- Aerodyne Research Inc. of the American Chemical Society, is ences, or may attest to the influence of Cambridge Isotope Laboratories presented annually by the Northeastern the nominee’s other activities in chem- New England BioLabs, Inc. Section. The Award consists of a cer- ical education, such as textbooks, jour- Pfizer tificate and an honorarium of $3,000. nal articles, or other professional Sigma-RBI Nominees must have served with activity at the local or national level. special distinction as teachers of chem- Materials should be of 8 1/2 by 1 1 Donors istry at any level: secondary school, inch size. The nomination packet Consulting Resources Corp. college, and/or graduate school. Since should not exceed 30 pages and should Houghton Chemical Company 1951, awardees have included eminent not include books or reprints or soft- Organix Inc. and less-widely-known but equally ware. effective teachers at all levels. Please direct questions about the NESACS, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA The awardee for 2004 was Dr. content of a nomination to Professor 01760: e-mail, [email protected]. Richard N. Zare of the Department of Howard R. Mayne at the University of The deadline for nominations is Chemistry at Stanford University, New Hampshire, email: howard.mayne April 15, 2005. ◆ Stanford, California. @unh.edu. For more information Nominations should focus on the about the Norris Award, see candidate’s contributions to and effec- www.nesacs.org. tiveness in teaching chemistry. The Send nomination packets (as hard nominee’s curriculum vitae should be copy, or electronically in Adobe PDF Nominations included. Seconding letters are also an format) to Ms. Marilou Cashman, Philip L. Levins Memorial Prize Nominations for the Philip L. Levins GATEWAY CHEMICAL Memorial Prize for outstanding per- formance by a graduate student on the TECHNOLOGY way to a career in chemical science should be sent to the Executive Secre- tary, NESACS, 23 Cottage St. Natick, CUSTOM SYNTHESIS MA 01760 by March 1, 2005. • Pharmaceuticals The graduate student’s research • Agrichemicals should be in the area of organic analyt- • Combinatorial Platforms ical chemistry and may include other • Competitor's Products areas of organic analytical chemistry • Intermediates such as environmental analysis, bio- • Analytical Standards chemical analysis, or polymer analysis. • Metabolites Nominations may be made by a faculty member, or the student may PROCESS DEVELOPMENT submit an application. A biographical • Process Evaluation sketch, transcripts of graduate and • New Route Development undergraduate grades, a description of present research activity and three ref- SPECTROSCOPIC SERVICES erences must be included. The nomina- • LCMS (APCI and API-ES) tion should be specific concerning the • NMR (300 MHz) • GCMS (EI) contribution the student has made to the research and publications (if any) 11810 Borman Dr • Saint Louis, Missouri 63146 with multiple authors. 314.220.2691 (office) • 314.991.2834 (fax) The award will be presented at the www.gatewaychemical.com • [email protected] May 2005 Section Meeting. ◆

4 The Nucleus February 2005 Abstract Monthly Meeting Technologies enabling low cost, high- th The 858 Meeting of the Northeastern Section of the American throughput DNA analysis will provide Chemical Society powerful tools for the diagnosis of Jointly with the Northeastern University Student Chapter of infectious and genetic disease. Approaches based on electrical and the Materials Research Society electrochemical readout of biomolecu- Thursday, February 10th, 2005 lar targets are particularly attractive for The Social Hour and Dinner will be at the Raytheon Amphitheater in the Egan this application given that electrical Science Research Center at Northeastern University, Boston, MA. currents can be measured using simple instrumentation. Electroactive nano- The Evening Meeting will be in the Raytheon Amphitheater in the Egan Sci- materials constitute new platforms for ence Research Center. the detection of DNA and other bio- 5:30 pm Social Hour and Graduate Student Poster Session molecules that may provide increased sensitivity and amenability to miniatur- 6:30 pm Dinner ization. However, the use of nanoarchi- 7:45 pm Evening Meeting, Dr. Amy Tapper, Chair, presiding tectures for electrochemical Professor Shana Kelley, Boston College biomolecular detection represents an Nanotechnological Approaches to Detecting Disease-related undeveloped area. Several types of Biomolecules arrayed nanostructures composed of electroactive materials are available, Dinner reservations should be made no later than noon, Thursday, February 3, and show great, but unrealized promise 2005. Please call or fax Marilou Cashman at 800-872-2054 or e-mail at for ultrasensitive biosensing. Our lab- [email protected]. Please specify vegetarian. Reservations not cancelled oratory recently developed methods to at least 24 hours in advance must be paid. Members, $28.00; Non-members, functionalize different nanoscale scaf- $30.00; Retirees, $15.00; Students, $10.00 folds with synthetic DNA molecules to THE PUBLIC IS INVITED produce new types of hybrid bionano- Anyone who needs special services or transportation, please call Marilou materials. Subsequent efforts to use Cashman a few days in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. these materials for biomolecular detec- Public transportation is strongly encouraged. Egan Science Center is immedi- tion showed that markedly improved ately adjacent to the Ruggles T-stop on the Orange MBTA subway line and is a sensitivity could be achieved. This short walk across campus from the Northeastern University stop on the Green presentation will summarize a number “E” MBTA subway line. A map of the Northeastern University campus and of discoveries made about the unique detailed directions for those individuals driving to the campus is available at chemical and electrical properties of URL: http://www.campusmap.neu.edu/map_page_4.html nanoscale objects relative to bulk materials, and will highlight the prom- ise of nanomaterials for bioanalytical Biography applications. ◆ Prof. Shana Kelley directs a highly or to study biological processes at the Top 100 innovators. interdisciplinary research program at level of a single cell. Kelley is currently is a member Boston College that involves aspects Shana Kelley holds a Ph.D. from of the National Academies/Keck of biological, organic, physical, ana- California Institute of Technology, Futures Initiative Nanoscience and lytical, and materials chemistry. One and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow Nanotechnology Planning Committee, aim of the research efforts in the Kel- at Scripps Research Institute. She has served as an NIH Study Section ley laboratories is the development of obtained her B.A. degree from Seton Member and NSF Panel Member, and electrical sensors for biomolecules Hall University. has chaired the German American that will lead to new clinical diagnos- Since joining the Boston College Frontiers of Chemistry Symposium. tics. Her laboratory uses nanomateri- Chemistry Department in 2000, Kel- She also is a founding scientist and als to develop different platforms for ley has received a Research Corpora- consultant at GeneOhm Sciences, a the detection of medically relevant tion Innovation Award, a Dreyfus biotechnology company in La Jolla, proteins and DNA molecules, and New Faculty Award, a National Sci- California founded to develop a new focuses on creating technologies that ence Foundation CAREER Award, an platform for DNA-based clinical diag- will have the high sensitivity and Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, and was nostic devices. ◆ accuracy required to diagnose disease named to Technology Review’s list of

The Nucleus February 2005 5 Arno H. A. Heyn 1918 - 2004 by Myron S. Simon The news that Arno had died on advanced through the ranks to full Pro- when we learned that the NUCLEUS December 5 was not unexpected. He fessor, retiring in 1984 as Professor was being shown to chemists in ACS had penned the information for his Emeritus. Summers and sabbaticals seminars on communications as the obituary just about a year ago, thinking were spent as a visiting scientist in model for other Sections. Arno had he would not see the new year. The Brookhaven (summers 1954-1956), become Editor in the summer of 1989. source of his immediate toxin was Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule He asked me to join him as Associate eliminated at that time, but the longer Zurich (1965), Kernforschungzentrum Editor a year later, and this arrange- term problems could not be solved. Karlsruhe (1973, 1980, and summers ment lasted until his decision to retire I’ve known Arno since the 1950s, of 1981, 1982, 1986), His European at the end of last year. first through our mutual interest in sojourns included walking trips and Arno was very precise in every- outdoor activities and our membership reunions with high school comrades. thing he did. He could be counted on in the SubSig Outing Club, in which I mentioned that Arno was a jack- to complete any task he undertook. His Arno took much the same role as in of-all-trades in the Section. There isn’t strong analytical mind governed his the Northeastern Section—jack-of-all- much that he did not do for the Section approach to any problem. It was a trades: long-time secretary, trip leader, and for National ACS. He served as pleasure and an education to work with cabin builder, electrician, and lock- Councilor for thirty years, from 1967 him. During recent months he encour- smith. Members of this Section knew to 1997, and Alternate Councilor for aged new members of the editorial staff him most, and most recently, as the five more years, from 1998 to 2003. He to meet with him at his home to learn editor and the man behind the revital- was elected to a number of Committees details of the editorial process. The last ization of the NUCLEUS. in the Council, Committee on Commit- such meeting took place in late Arno was born in Breslau, Ger- tees (1992-1994), Council Policy Com- November, when Arno gave words of many, now Wroclaw, Poland, in 1918. mittee (1986-1991), Vice-Chairman, advice to our new editor, Mike Filosa. He was the son of Myron Heyn and (1987-1988), Local Section Activities Arno used his scientific back- Margarete Cierpinski Heyn. His father (Associate, 1996-1997), Constitution ground in many ordinary life situa- was a chemist who worked in the and Bylaws (1980-1985), Chairman tions. Sometimes this could backfire, Detroit area for much of his career, so (1983-1985), Membership Affairs as it did some years ago when he led a that after Arno completed his (1968-1972, 1973-1979), Secretary canoeing trip to Turtle Island on Lake hochschule education in Germany, (1970-1979), Canvassing Committee. George. To solve the dinner problem America became his permanent home. He won an award from the Inorganic that night, he had bought an uncooked Arno received his Bachelor of Sci- Chemistry Division in about 1985. ham and carefully wrapped it in dry ice ence and Doctorate degrees at the Uni- Arno’s contributions to the North- so that it would not spoil on the trip versity of Michigan. He was fortunate eastern Section were equally varied from Boston. My wife and I paddled to perform graduate work in Analytical and numerous. He was Chairman of over to visit and found the group in a Chemistry under the guidance of the Section in 1968, Treasurer from quandary. The ham was frozen solidly, Hobart H. Willard who had received 1959 to 1962, Chairman of numerous the fire was hot, and neither a hunting his degrees at Harvard under T. W. committees. In recent times he served knife nor an axe had been able to pry Richards, well known and much cele- on and chaired the Esselen Award loose slices for cooking. Arno’s solu- brated by members of this Section. Committee, the Awards Committee, tion? - the bow saw he found in my Arno’s Ph. D. in Analytical Chemistry the Nominating Committee, the Con- canoe. The “sawdust” was highly edi- was awarded in 1944. In Ann Arbor he stitution and Bylaws Committee. ble. had met Helen Pielemeier, also a U of The crowning success of Arno’s The Northeastern Section was M graduate, and they were married in Section activities was transforming the privileged to have this remarkable man 1942. Arno is survived by his wife and Section’s publication, the NUCLEUS, as a member. We have missed Arno their three children: Evan (1947), Mar- from an ordinary newsletter into the much of this past year, but we will garet (1949), and Robert (1954). best publication among those of all the miss him even more, now that he is Arno joined the faculty at Boston Sections of ACS. The proof of this more than a telephone call or e-mail University as Instructor in 1947 and pudding occurred a few years ago, away. May he rest in peace. ◆

6 The Nucleus February 2005 Scientist Philip Abelson Dies; Broke Ground in 4 Disciplines By Matt Schudel Washington Post Staff Writer ©2004, The Washington Post. Reprinted with permission.

almost no bounds. When he was in the celebrated laboratory of Ernest elected to the National Academy of O. Lawrence at the University of Cali- Sciences in 1959, he could have been fornia at Berkeley. In 1938, using admitted in any of seven disciplines. money his mother had sent him to buy He chose to be recognized as a geolo- a suit, he bought at a scientific gist. supply store. Within two months, he Dr. Abelson published nine books had built a spectrometer and devised a on such varied subjects as microbiol- way to isolate a fissionable form of ogy, energy, food, electronics, health uranium. care and earth science — as well as a Abelson and future Nobel prize collection of his wide-ranging, force- winner Edwin M. McMillan discov- fully written essays that touched on ered at Berkeley in 1940 by nearly every field in the vast, expand- bombarding uranium with . ing world of science. An article in The Previously, there were 92 known Washington Post in 1980 described chemical elements on Earth. Neptu- him as a “nuclear, geo-, bio-, nium was No. 93. geo-, paleo-, biochemist, microbiolo- Dr. Abelson then came to Wash- gist and a few other scientific com- ington as a physicist with the Naval pound specialties.” Research Laboratory, where he devel- “He was an iconic figure,” said oped a process to separate isotopes of John I. Brauman, a Stanford University uranium. This research was applied to Trained in chemistry and , Philip chemist who has won the Linus Paul- development of the atomic bomb in the H. Abelson did pioneering research in ing Award and last year was awarded at the Oak Ridge biology, geology, biochemistry and engi- the National Medal of Science. “He National Laboratory in . For neering. He also edited Science maga- played many roles, and he always his work, he received the Navy Distin- zine. (Yoichi R. Okamoto) found a place of leadership and influ- guished Civilian Service Medal in ence as a scientist and on the public 1945, the first of many honors. Philip H. Abelson, whose early stage.” In 1944, barely past his 30th birth- research helped lead to the develop- It’s hard to say whether Dr. Abel- day, Dr. Abelson was put in charge of ment of the atomic bomb and the son left his strongest mark on science the Naval Research Laboratory in nuclear , and who later influ- as a researcher or as an editor and Philadelphia. Among other things, he enced scientific thinking during 23 advocate for science. He had the rare devised a way to apply nuclear energy years as the opinionated editor of Sci- ability to do advanced work and make to locomotion. By March 1946, he had ence magazine, died Aug. 1 of pneu- it understandable to ordinary people. written a paper detailing how a nuclear monia at Suburban Hospital. He was He had several well-known public dis- reactor could be installed in a subma- 91 and lived in Washington. putes — particularly about the space rine, in effect designing the blueprint Dr. Abelson was a force in science program — and enjoyed putting sci- for the USS Nautilus, which was for more than 60 years, beginning in ence at the center of public debate. launched in 1955 as the Navy’s first the 1930s, when he was one of the “He wasn’t without opinions, nuclear-powered submarine. nation’s first nuclear . He that’s for sure,” Brauman said in a tele- After World War II, Dr. Abelson was the co-discoverer of the chemical phone interview from his California turned his attention to biology and element neptunium and during World office. “It wasn’t that he enjoyed being geology. His 1955 book on E. coli, War II worked on the Manhattan Pro- controversial, but he enjoyed the intel- which was then little known, was the ject to develop the atomic bomb. Later, lectual challenges of solving prob- standard study for decades and pointed he was among the first to analyze the lems.” out the bacteria’s importance in the bacteria E. coli. Dr. Abelson first gained recogni- emerging field of genetic engineering. His scientific expertise knew tion in the 1930s as a graduate student Continued on page 16

The Nucleus February 2005 7 Organohalogens in Nature? Naturally! by Gordon W. Gribble, Dartmouth College

DDT, PCBs, dioxin, CFCs, and other plants, insects, some higher animals, Kamchatka, Satsuma Iwojima, and man-made organohalogen chemicals including humans, and geothermal Santiaguito), including simple are familiar to the chemist and non- processes, the number of known natu- haloalkanes, haloalkenes, some CFCs chemist alike. Less well known are the ral organohalogens is over 4100. This (CFCl3, CF2Cl2), and even tetrafluo- thousands of naturally produced breakdown to 2300 organochlorines, roethylene, the Teflon precursor! Such organohalogens that pervade our envi- 2100 organobromines, 110 organohalogens are also entombed in ronment, some of which are identical organoiodines, and 30 organofluorines. rocks, minerals, and shales. When to their anthropogenic counterparts and Several hundred marine metabo- crushed, silvinite ore yields small others of which have extraordinary and lites contain both chlorine and amounts of chloroform, unprecedented chemical structures bromine. This phenomenal increase in chloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, often with fantastic biological activity. the discovery of natural organohalo- dichloromethane, chlorobenzene, and The handful of natural gens over the past 50 years parallels related organohalogens. Organochlo- organohalogens known to chemists in the revitalization of natural products rines are found in several meteorites. the 1950’s (griseofulvin, chloram- research in general, facilitated by Natural biomass burning, such as light- phenicol, aureomycin, Tyrian Purple, improved sample collection (SCUBA ning-induced forest and brush fires, vancomycin) were considered abnor- and remote submersibles), isolation produces large amounts of malities of nature or isolation artifacts methods (counter-current and HPLC), chloromethane and bromomethane. and not representative of an enormous 2D NMR spectroscopy, advances in Dioxins also form to some extent dur- class of natural products yet to be dis- mass spectrometry, new and more ing forest fires but the amounts are dif- covered. Naturally occurring selective bioassays, and an awareness ficult to quantify. organohalogens are ubiquitous in both of ethobotany and folk medicine. Marine life presents a treasure marine and terrestrial environments. Volcanologists have identified trove of or ganohalogens to the Produced by marine plants and ani- dozens of organohalogens in volcanic chemist. Seventeen percent of the mals, fungi, bacteria, lichen, terrestrial emissions (Mt. Etna, Vulcano, Kuju, 4100 new marine metabolites reported during 1998-2002 contain halogen. Utilizing the presence of halides in the world’s oceans, marine organisms have incorporated chlorine and bromine into their metabolites, which apparently are employed as repellents, antifeedants, and pesticides. Anchored to the reef, sponges, tunicates, soft corals, bry- ozoans, and marine algae employ chemical warfare for defense and sur- vival. Likewise, nudibranchs (sea slugs), sea hares, marine worms, and other shell-less molluscs need chemi- cals to repel the ocean’s predators. The sea hare Aplysia brasiliana secretes the bromine-containing panacene (1), which is repellent to sharks, and the Floridian marine worm Ptychodera bahamensis produces ten different brominated phenols, presum- ably as antibacterial or other defensive substances. The polybrominated hep- tanones from the red alga Bonnemaiso- nia hamifera resemble the structure of riot control agents such as “Mace” (PhCOCH2Cl) and induced skin rashes and allergic reactions in the students continued on page 9

8 The Nucleus February 2005 overgrowth by bacteria, fungi, and bar- ting forest fungus Lepista nuda has Organohalogens nacles. For example, indole 9 from the yielded 14 organohalogens including Continued from page 8 bryozoan Zoobotryon pellucidum is a several bromophenols (e.g., 16). A who first isolated these compounds. potent inhibitor of larval settlement by Venezuelan soil fungus Emericella fal- Likewise, aplysiatoxin (2) from the the notorious ship-fouling barnacle conensis contains several chlorinated cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula is Balanus amphitrite. azaphilones that are active against dia- the cause of “swimmer ’s itch” in Terrestrial organisms are equally cylglycerol and acyl-CoA:cholesterol Hawaii. adept at synthesizing highly complex acyltransferases. The Japanese mush- and biologically active organohalo- room Russula subnigricans contains a gens, most usually chlorine-containing number of novel chlorohydroquinones, compounds. More than 50 Strepto- and the fungi Phoma sp. and Penicil- myces bacteria species have yielded lium sp. both have afforded topopyrone biologically active organochlorines, B (17), active against Herpes simplex Many of these marine halogenated many of which possess incredibly virus. Another Penicillium sp. pro- compounds have unique and powerful complex structures (simocyclinone D8, duces 2,4-dichlorophenol, the same biological activity. Punaglandin 1 (3), isocomplestatin, chloropeptin I, chemical used to synthesize “2,4-D” which is one of 30 chlorinated, bromi- pyrroindomycin B, and C-1027). A (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), nated, and iodinated prostaglandin-like simple example is streptopyrrole (10), which comprises 50% of the Vietnam compounds produced by octocorals one of seven related metabolites from warfare defoliant Agent Orange. The and algae, has anticancer activity com- Streptomyces rimosus. Akashin A (11) first naturally occurring chlorinated parable to that of the anticancer drug is one of three related chlorinated dibenzofuran is AB0022A (18) from vincristine. The structurally complex indigo glycosides isolated from cul- the slime mold Dictyostelium pur- vinyl chloride-containing spongistatins tures of a Streptomyces sp. that have pureum. Interestingly, several fungi are among the most potent compounds significant antitumor activity. The life- produce chloromethane, chloroform, ever screened by the U.S. National saving antibiotic vancomycin, which is and other simple haloalkanes. Cancer Institute, and eudistomin K sul- produced by Amycolatopsis orientalis, foxide (4) from the New Zealand has been used for 50 years to treat ascidian Ritterella signillinoides is penicillin-resistant life-threatening antiviral towards Polio and Herpes infections, and the two chlorine atoms simplex. The monoterpene plocamene in this glycopeptide are essential for B (5) from the red alga Plocamium optimal activity. The design of the violaceum is three times more potent commercial pesticide “Pirate” (12) was than the commercial insecticide lin- based on dioxapyrrolomycin (13) a dane (6) against mosquito larvae. The Streptomyces sp. metabolite. structural similarity of these two organochlorines is striking. Equally Both marine and terrestrial remarkable is the resemblance of the cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) pro- red alga (Rhodomela confervoides) duce astonishingly diverse halogen- antibacterial phenol 7 to the hospital containing metabolites (e.g., antiseptic hexachlorophene (8). Many aplysiatoxin (2)), some of which have other brominated phenols are marine extraordinary biological activity. Sev- natural products. Many marine eral dozen cryptophycins (e.g., 19) are metabolites, halogenated and non-halo- produced by a Nostoc sp. cyanobac- genated, have powerful anti-fouling terium and have powerful, possibly activity to prevent otherwise lethal clinical anticancer activity. Removal of the chlorine results in a ten-fold Terrestrial fungi and lichen incor- decrease in activity. The blue-green porate chlorine into some of their alga Lyngbya majuscula is particularly metabolites. The fungus Mollisia ven- synthetically prolific and various col- tosa produces several polychlorinated lections of this alga have yielded calmodulin inhibitors such as KS-504d nordysidenin (20), barbamide (21), (14), which is 70% chlorine by weight lyngbyaloside B (22), and many other — comparable to the most heavily organohalogens. The terrestrial Kauai chlorinated PCB (polychlorinated blue-green alga Dichothrix baueriana biphenyl). The common white-rot fun- contains bauerines A-C (e.g., 23), gus Bjerkandera adusta produces which are active against Herpes sim- bjerkanderol B (15), and the wood-rot- Continued on page 10

The Nucleus February 2005 9 cabbage, broccoli, radish, turnip, mus- Although natural organofluorines are Organohalogens tard, rapeseed, pak-choi, and others exceedingly rare, one notorious excep- Continued from page 9 produce significant amounts of bro- tion is fluoroacetic acid (30). This plex virus. The terrestrial Fischerella momethane from natural soil bromide. highly toxic compound, which was the muscicola has yielded more than 20 Both potato tubers and the ice plant widely used pesticide “1080”, is found chlorinated indole isonitriles (e.g., produce chloromethane, and 4- in several plants (e.g., Dichapetalum hapalindole A (24)), and Fischerella chloroindole-3-acetic acid is a univer- toxicarium) indigenous to West Africa, ambigua contains the HIV reverse sal growth hormone biosynthesized in Australia, and other countries, and has transcriptase inhibitor ambigol A (25). green peas, lentil, vetch, various beans, killed thousands of livestock over the and other peas. Parsley and related years. These plants also contain the plants contain the chlorinated psoralen equally toxic 18-fluorooleic, 16-fluo- saxalin, and several chlorine-contain- ropalmitic, and some other fluorine- ing iridoids are plant metabolites. The containing fatty acids. Equally rare are Thai plant Arundo donax is the source terrestrial brominated fatty acids but of the weevil repellent 26, one of very two such compounds, e.g., 31, have few natural terrestrial organobromines. been isolated from the seeds of Ere- The edible Japanese lily Lilium maxi- mostachys molucelloides, and the fruit mowiczii produces seven novel of the Asian shrub Diospyros maritima chlorophenolic fungicides (e.g., 27) in contains 3-bromoplumbagin (32). response to attack by the pathogenic plant fungus Fusarium oxysporum at the site of infection. The carrot truffle Stephanospora caroticolor contains 2- chloro-4-nitrophenol, which is also a commercial fungicide, and the related stephanosporin (28). Several liver- Although relatively few worts have yielded polymeric chlori- organohalogens are found in terrestrial nated phenols including the bisbenzyl plants, those that are known are of 29, one of the few natural compounds great interest. The common vegetables to contain a PCB ring system. GATEWAY CHEMICAL

TECHNOLOGY It is well established that insects employ chemicals extensively for intraspecies communication CUSTOM SYNTHESIS (“pheromones”) and interspecies • Pharmaceuticals defense (“allomones”), but only a few • Agrichemicals of these are organohalogens. More • Combinatorial Platforms than a dozen species of tick biosynthe- • Competitor's Products size 2,6-dichlorophenol as a sex • Intermediates pheromone, and the German cockroach • Analytical Standards Blattella germanica utilizes two chlori- • Metabolites nated stigmastane steroids as aggrega- Continued on page 11 PROCESS DEVELOPMENT • Process Evaluation • New Route Development

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10 The Nucleus February 2005 these chlorinated benzodiazepines can ural soil metabolites. In addition, Organohalogens occur in the mammalian brain. Benzo- dioxins can form via the oxidative Continued from page 10 diazepine biosynthesis in Penicillium dimerization of chlorophenols. This tion pheromones, e.g., blattellatanoside cyclopium is well known. unexpected result was observed both in A(33). Termites produce large quanti- Canadian peat bogs (Scheme 2) and in ties of chloroform, a source that may a pristine Douglas fir forest. These account for as much as 15% (100,000 results match the earlier laboratory tons per year) of the global emissions. observations that chlorophenols give Several insects (e.g., locusts) contain dioxins and chlorinated dibenzofurans halogenated tyrosine residues in cutic- in the presence of horseradish peroxi- ular proteins, apparently to strengthen dase. Dioxin formation occurs in the cuticle. sewage sludge and fresh garden com- Only a few organohalogens have post piles, perhaps under the guidance been identified to date in higher ani- of ubiquitous peroxidase enzymes. mals. The Ecuadorian poison tree frog Epipedobates tricolor secretes epibati- dine (34), an extraordinarily potent (and toxic) analgesic, and superior to morphine. Bovine urine contains 3- chlorocarbazole, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and iodolactones 35 and 36 A relatively new area of natural are found in the thyroid gland of dogs. products research is the study of The iodinated thyroxine hormones are marine bacteria and fungi. Several well known in humans and other mam- novel halogenated bipyrroles (e.g., 38), mals. The unusual bromo ester 37, is which are believed to have a marine present in mammalian cerebrospinal bacterial origin, were isolated from fluid (cat, rat, human). This compound ocean-feeding sea birds (albatross, puf- is an effective inducer of rapid-eye- fin, gull, eagle). These PCB-like com- movement sleep and may play a role in pounds represent the first scenario of the sleep phenomenon. Perhaps more bioaccumulative natural organohalo- surprising is that our white blood cells gens. The related “Q1” (39) has been employ myeloperoxidase-catalyzed discovered in a multitude of marine chlorination and bromination to fight and other organisms (fish, seal, walrus, infection by killing invading pathogens porpoise, dolphin, birds, whale) and in Marine organisms have also (bacteria, fungi, and perhaps tumor the milk of Eskimo women who con- developed the ability to biosynthesize cells). Byproducts of this biochemistry sume whale blubber. dioxins. Given the large number of are 3-chlorotyrosine, 3-bromotyrosine, polybrominated diphenyl ethers in 5-bromouracil, chlorinated choles- sponges and algae, it was inevitable terols, and others. Humans deficient in that polybrominated dioxins would be myeloperoxidase are very susceptible discovered in the marine world. to fatal fungal pneumonias from Indeed, three separate studies have Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida found that sponges (e.g., Dysidea albicans. It has been suggested that In addition to natural combustion dendyi) contain such dioxins (e.g., 40). free chlorine gas is involved in this sources of or ganohalogens (vide biochlorination process! Equally supra), other abiogenic pathways to remarkable is the discovery that seven these compounds are well established, chlorinated benzodiazepines, including especially in the soil where both bio- diazepam (Valium), are present in genic and abiogenic sources are mammalian brains, including human known. The breakdown of soil humic brains that were preserved years before and fulvic acids has a biogenic compo- these compounds were synthesized in nent (e.g., chloroperoxidase) and an the laboratory! These naturally occur- abiogenic component (e.g., Fe(III) in a ring organochlorines are biosynthe- Fenton reaction). Both processes sized in plants (corn, potatoes, lentil, afford chlorophenols, chloroform, and rice, wheat, mushrooms, soybeans) and chlorinated acetic acids as end prod- Why halogen? Why chlorine? thus enter the food chain. There is evi- ucts (Scheme 1). Vinyl chloride is a Nature and drug companies alike have dence that the in vivo formation of recent addition to this collection of nat- Continued on page 12

The Nucleus January 2005 11 William H. Avery

William Hinckley Avery died on June University, where he was to remain for Guide to OTEC. This survey of over 26, 2004 in West Yarmouth, MA, a the next 42 years, making his career in 2500 documents is the history of month short of his 92nd birthday. He a variety of areas including ramjet and development of thermal energy from was born in Fort Collins, CO (1912), rocket propulsion and the search for the sea and the establishment of OTEC graduated from Pomona College ( Phi alternative sources of energy. His role plants worldwide. ◆ Beta Kappa, 1933), earned masters at APL went from group leader to (1935) and doctorate (1937) degrees in Assistant Director for Research and physical chemistry at Harvard. After Development to Director of Energy two years of post-doctoral research in Research. In the latter position his molecular physics at Harvard he joined work led him to the realization that Organohalogens the Shell Development Laboratory. In Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, Continued from page 11 1941 he moved to the Alleghany Bal- i.e. sea temperature differentials used discovered that halogens, such as chlo- listic Laboratory in Cumberland, MD to generate electricity, was a preferred rine, exhibit two general properties. to develop solid fuel propellants. His route to alternative energy to supple- Halogens on a benzene ring, for exam- work there led to later development of ment the oil economy. His conclusion ple, block metabolism by deactivating the large rockets used in Polaris and was warmly received by then President the entire ring towards metabolic oxi- ICBM programs, and earned him the Jimmy Carter. On retirement from dation. Secondly, halogens increase Hickman Medal of the American APL in 1989 the William H. Avery lipophilicity and enhance bioavailabil- Rocket Society, a Naval Ordnance Propulsion Research Laboratory, now ity of a compound. Development Award and the Presiden- the William H. Avery Advanced Tech- New natural organohalogens are tial Certificate of Merit and the Sir nical Development Laboratory, was discovered at a rate of 100-200 per Alfred C. Egerton Gold Medal. He was named in his honor. year as natural products chemists con- a member of the American Chemical In retirement he and Chih Wu, tinue to scour the world for new Society. Professor of Mechanical Engineering medicinal agents. Given that hundreds In 1947 he joined the Applied at the US Naval Academy, published of thousands of terrestrial and marine Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins Renewable Energy from the Ocean-A organisms remain unexplored for their chemical content, it is certain that countless novel organohalogens will be uncovered in the decades ahead. GENERAL REFERENCES: Gribble, G.W., Amer. Sci., 2004, 92, 342-349. Gribble, G.W., Chemosphere, 2004, 52, 289-297. Gribble, G.W., J. Chem. Ed., 2004, 81, 1441-1449. Öberg, G., Appl. Microbiol. Biotech- nol., 2002, 58, 565-581. Winterton, N., Green Chem., 2000, 2, 173-225. ◆

Continued on page

12 The Nucleus February 2005 Chemists and Chemical Engineers in Homeland Security An Interview by Martin Freier

Since it came into existence in 2002, rorists are able to build or acquire more ment, in support of his project. homeland security has become a seri- sophistication in their threats thus Not surprisingly, most of the team ous enterprise - one that now employs making them virtually invisible to the members are chemists and chemical quite a number of scientists, and detection systems in place. The engineers at all degree levels. That is chemists in particular, with some spec- chemists’ greatest challenge is to refine because of the key role chemists play tacular results. The basic mission of their existing tools to make them more in threat detection and protection, but homeland security, as it was originally sensitive and capable. there are also some mechanical engi- envisioned, was to secure the home- Unlike many of the government neers and clothing designers who make land from terrorists who wish to come agencies that now support the home- some important contributions as well. into this country through various land security effort, US Army National Because of their unique specialties, means and disrupt our economy and Soldier Center (NSC) in Natick, Mass- some the effort is done by other scien- way of life. That mission was and still achusetts is unique in that it is more tists and engineers within other sec- remains a daily challenge because than a driver of the overall effort tions of NSC, including, for example, there are so many points of entry to our related to security. It is an innovator in polymer scientists, textile scientists, homeland, and our detection systems the development of products for the and plastic engineers. In addition, out- are a long way from fool proof. The soldiers, such as food rations and army side partner companies are supporting chemists and scientists play a vital role uniforms, as well as personal armor. the effort. They have their own team in that challenge provided that the cen- Particularly impressive is the scope of actively developing certain products in tralized authority for homeland secu- NSC’s accomplishments, for which it which they have the expertise. In rity and all supporting agencies received in November of this year the effect, Wilusz’s team uses the typical continue to establish and refine the coveted Army Lab of Year Award “interdisciplinary” approach to solving specific threat requirements and priori- (having previously won this award in problems, with the chemists and chem- ties, and provide the funds needed to 2001 and 2003). ical engineers leading the effort. drive the total effort. NSC has honed the skills of its As a naive observer, I consider Chemistry plays a major role in personnel and developed products that the suit development project as nothing the implementation of the homeland are now in demand. While soldiers’ more than a tailor’s job, with a few security mission in many ways. The security is the primary concern, NSC’s innovations and embellishments . basic analytical tools of chemistry expertise and products are increasingly What I find particularly interesting is developed years ago are used effec- becoming indispensable in the fight the fact that the project team is manned tively in threat detection not only in the against terror. More and more of its primarily by chemists and chemical private sector, but also in the military. experts are called upon to share their engineers at all degree levels (from BS Today’s world is a dangerous one, input in some of the major confer- to PhD) as well as mechanical engi- where everything could be suspect ences. neers and designers. from the food we eat, the water we At NSC, the soldier’s suit devel- Therefore, my first question to drink, and the containers that are used opment project for the soldier’s univer- Wilusz was, “Given that a similar suit for transport or storage, as well the sal suit of the future is a case in point, has been developed so many times means for transport, the trucks, rail- where homeland security is able to before, why are all those chemists and roads, ships and aircraft themselves. learn some important lessons and use chemical engineers needed on your While existing chemical tools for some of the tools being developed in team?” detection are already available, the ter- that project for other civilian applica- He responded, “Well, there is tions. Heading the team of engineers quite a bit more to this project than you and chemists that make up the Chemi- think. Today’s suits are much more Martin Freier is a consultant specializing cal Technology Team is Dr. Eugene sophisticated in their protection capa- in technical management, technical, and Wilusz. On his team he has 20 team bility from the outside chemical training strategies. He holds a BS in Chemistry from Brooklyn College and an members either working directly under threats. This is where chemists and MS degree in Engineering and Manage- him or indirectly (on loan from other chemical engineers assume the leading ment Science from Worcester Polytechnic departments). In addition, he also roles” Institute. He is a member of the ACS, relies on numerous outside partner From his remarks, it became Northeastern Section. companies who do their own develop- Continued on page 14

The Nucleus February 2005 13 vest, nor the underwear in the basic even exists,“ Wilusz said. “We are now Homeland Security suit configuration. developing membranes to serve as per- Continued from page 13 Wilusz explained that the helmet meation barriers to the threat agents so somewhat clearer why chemists and and the vest were tasks assigned to the as to make them withstand the outside chemical engineers are involved, but I mechanical engineers responsible for threats and environmental elements. was not sure what the military consid- work on ballistics in general. “They The material of the standard suit itself ers a suit as compared to a typical have years of experience in that area,” is composed of a multi-layered textile civilian suit. he said. “In addition to what we men- - the outer shell is treated with a liquid When civilians buy a suit, most tioned before, there are some other repellent to repel rain and other liquids, often it is a 2-piece or 3-piece suit. I peripherals that are critical, like the and the inner shell has an activated expected that to be the case for the respirator or mask, for example. They charcoal universal adsorbent to adsorb army personnel as well. “So how dif- also require special attention from chemical and biological agents.” ferent are suits for the army soldier?” some specialists who have that respon- I was surprised by the catalog of I asked. sibility.” chemical threats that soldiers could be “The basic combat suit consists of At that point, I was after more facing nowadays in the battlefield– a 2-piece garment referred to the Bat- details about the special suit develop- such as the most common chemical tle Dress Uniform (BDU), which does ment effort his team was involved in as nerve agents, sarin, blister/vesicant not provide chemical protection. For compared to that of the previous agents like mustard, blood agents, chemical protection a special overgar- teams. including cyanide, and pulmonary ment is required along with boots and “The real effort is in the materials agents, including chlorine and phos- gloves, and of course, a respirator.” and the design,” he explained. “. There gene. Wilusz said. “The other important are so many different materials out The suits are also ef fective aspect of a suit is that there are no there and so many characteristics to against biological agents, even against openings that allow agents to penetrate look at. Specifically, the majority of alpha and beta rays from radioactive the suit and the soldier. This is the the effort is in the characterization of agents. As for the gamma rays, that’s chemically protective overgarment (or the physical, chemical, and transport another story. Much more research JSLIST unit) that goes over the BDU properties of the materials selected.” needs to be done in that area . The key as a a complete unit” Characterization is typically the to the suit’s effectiveness is its inner The suit that is used to provide the job of analytical chemists, while the layer made from activated charcoal protection against chemical agents chemical engineers study the processes universal adsorbent. (JSLIST overgarment ) is shown involved in the development of the The mask completes the basic suit below. new materials, but in reality , all configuration. I asked him where the chemists and engineers share that mask fits in, when it comes to security, responsibility on the team. In fact, so Wilusz answered, “A mask has to be complex is this material selection used wherever respiration could be effort that the actual materials were affected by either biological or chemi- proposed by outside industrial partners cal agents. Even if that is not the case, based on the requirements developed masks must be readily at hand for all in response to specific needs by sol- soldiers, just in case.” diers – those that are based on specific And yet, Wilusz does not recom- combat situations. Initially, the indus- mend that as part of the homeland trial partners developed the actual tex- security strategy, masks be procured tiles and send in their samples for for civilians. He defends his position evaluation in co-operation with by saying, “I have concerns with the Wilusz’s team. masks that are available to civilians Considering the added complexity today. One basic concern is that by the of the suit configuration and the mate- time a mask is put in place by an rial, I wondered how much of an untrained civilian it could be too late.” improvement he expects in terms of Indeed, in the absence of any security. sophisticated detection system, the “We expect significant improve- civilians would never know that there ment in terms of protection, comfort, is a chemical/biological attack in and performance, and that is a key progress until it is much too late. component of security. Some kind of The military has many years of indicator could be part of this configu- experience dealing with chemical war- I was wondering why Wilusz did ration. Without that, we really cannot fare, while the civilian sector in most not include the helmet, the bullet-proof tell what the threat is or whether it Continued on page 15

14 The Nucleus February 2005 used. These are called simulants or sur- with major industrial chemical or bio Homeland Security rogates. mishaps, bio-terror, or weather emer- Continued from page 14 As for direct homeland security gencies. countries does not, with the exception application for the army suit, there is a Since Wilusz stressed how impor- of Israel. Sophisticated military detec- development effort for first responders, tant detectors are in identifying the tion systems in place in the battlefield such as the police, firemen, EMTs, and presence of a threat as well as the provide immediate warning to identify hospital workers. Wilusz said, “ We effectiveness of the suit in general, I the presence of any kind of chemical have the technology and wherewithal contacted Louis Stuhl, Vice President and biological attack. In addition, col- to design and make them protective of ChemMotif, Inc. His company is lective protection in the form of shel- suits and are heavily involved in such one of the independent outside part- ters is available to the war fighters. developments.” ners, responsible for the development “Then there is the matter of train- In addition, NSC does produce of detectors used in the suits. Under a ing. “ Wilusz explained. “Most indi- some highly specialized suits for a lot contract from NSC, ChemMotif has viduals are not well trained in putting of different applications. Because of developed a badge that turns from a on a mask. To be of any use, masks the Gulf War experiences, there are almost white to a deep blue when too must be fitted perfectly. If there are even suits outfitted with micro-climate much pollutant (such as diesel fuel or even the tiniest openings through cooling systems for use by helicopter cigarette smoke) has collected in the which the agents could enter, those aircrews where the temperatures could carbon inner layer of a suit. That masks become totally useless. Wilusz reach uncomfortably hot levels. Simi- would signal to the soldier wearing the continued, “In contrast, the military lar types of suits have been considered suit that the capacity of the suit for personnel are not only trained to put on for troops working in the extremely hot agents has been compromised and he their masks, but their masks are per- desert environment. However, from a must change into something else fectly fitted by experts.” practical point of view, the batteries immediately. Another problem Wilusz identi- alone that would be required weigh 2 The badge itself appears to be a fied was that the civilian user is not to 3 pounds; and that is on top of the simple device, but it required three to aware that the mask filter is only weight of soldier’s sophisticated gear. five Chemists and several years to effective for a limited time (possibly, a Other suits that have been devel- develop. Three types of chemists par- few hours) and then the filter has to be oped include fireproofed suits and suits ticipated in the badge’s development replaced. So, unless there is a built-in that are used by first responders to deal effort. Physical chemists were used to indicator, the effectiveness of the Continued on page 16 mask at a given point in time is ques- tionable. At this point, Wilusz made me understand why designers were employed as part of the interdiscipli- nary team. It was their task to make sure that there was a good fit not only in the overall suit itself (the jacket and trousers), but the interfaces between the different components as well – such as, the interface between jacket and trousers, sleeves and gloves, and trousers and boots. In addition, the interface between mask, the jacket and hood must also be perfectly fitted. In no case can any openings be tolerated without jeopardizing the soldier’s security. As for the chemists and chemical engineers themselves, one of their major tasks is their involvement in determining the permeation of the chemicals through the suit materials. Because the actual chemical agents are not allowed in the testing effort for safety reasons, compounds that simu- late the properties of the real agents are

The Nucleus February 2005 15 what is now Washington State Univer- Philip Abelson sity. He received a doctoral degree in Continued from page 7 from the University of New Nucleus During the 1950s, Dr. Abelson California in 1939. also discovered that amino acids can Fascinated with science as a boy, Editor survive in , particularly at low he became the city surveyor of Tacoma Beginning with the March issue, the temperatures, for hundreds of millions when he was 17, which helped pay his Nucleus will be under the Editorship of of years, a finding that would influence way through college. Dr. Michael Filosa. He can be reached biochemists and the study of paleontol- Before he moved permanently to at 781 386 8479 or via e-mail at ogy. Washington in 1972, Dr. Abelson com- [email protected]. ◆ “He brought this extraordinarily muted on weekends to Philadelphia, astute mind to every problem he where his family lived. His wife, Neva, encountered,” said Brauman, “whether was a physician who helped discover a it was with Science magazine, scien- test for the Rh factor in blood. She tific research or social concerns.” died in 2000, after 63 years of mar- Homeland Security In 1962, Dr. Abelson was named riage. Continued from page 15 editor of Science magazine, a weekly “He always said my mother was study the contaminant absorption and publication of the American Associa- smarter than he was,” said Dr. Abel- molecular desorption properties tion for the Advancement of Science son’s daughter, Ellen A. Cherniavsky involved. When the pollutants get into that is read by virtually every scientist of Silver Spring. Two grandchildren the carbon sensor layer, they displace in the country. He accepted the posi- also survive him. the dye, which then migrates to tion on the condition that he be Dr. Abelson developed adult-onset another layer where it can be seen. allowed to continue his own outside diabetes in his forties, prompting him Chemists with analytical skills quanti- research. to change his diet and to take up exer- fied the response of the badge as a He made the magazine more cise. He walked or ran several miles function of chemical type and concen- timely and more responsive to the lat- every morning, until his health began tration. Formulations chemists devel- est research by cultivating a network of to fail in March. oped the actual compositions of the “bird dogs” across the country to tip In 1987, Dr. Abelson received the layers making up the sensor and the him off to new developments. To National Medal of Science. He fluids that were used to coat the vari- accommodate the latest breaking news belonged to numerous scientific soci- ous layers. in science, he held the section open eties and received dozens of presti- As an Army Research Office Con- until the day before it was shipped. gious awards, including the Kalinga tractor, ChemMotif has also developed But he might have been best Prize from the United Nations Educa- an end of service life indicator for the known for his editorials, in which he tional, Scientific and Cultural Organi- carbon filter cartridges in gas masks; often attacked commonly accepted sci- zation and the Distinguished Public its purpose is to identify to the mask entific notions and did battle with other Service Award from National Science user that a nerve agent or pollutant has scientists. During the 1960s, he had a Foundation. Affiliated with Carnegie penetrated his carbon canister and, running feud with NASA Administra- Institution since 1939, he was its presi- therefore, it has to be replaced. tor James E. Webb because of his dent from 1971 to 1978. He received In the past two or so years since implacable opposition to the manned seven honorary degrees. the Homeland Security initiatives have space program, which he called a “He was a very revered figure,” been undertaken, no major terrorists waste of time and money that did little said Donald E. Koshland Jr., who suc- incidents have occurred in the United but satisfy a sense of adventure. ceeded Dr. Abelson as editor of Sci- States. And that is a testament to the Dr. Abelson opposed government ence. “People knew he had total excellent work that has been done by regulation of science but also warned integrity.” our fellow chemists and chemical engi- against eggheaded plans for building a When Dr. Abelson became editor neers, as part of their mission to keep ◆ genetically enhanced super race. of Science in 1962, it had a circulation our homeland secure. “Man is the product of billions of of 75,000. By the time he retired at the years of hard-won evolution,” he told a end of 1984, the circulation was conference in 1966. “We must not risk 155,000. Dr. Abelson held many advi- permitting zealots, however well-inten- sory roles with science foundations at Phil Abelson,” he once said about tioned, to gamble with the future.” and stayed on as a contributing editor his strongly worded opinions, “but I Philip Hauge Abelson was born in for Science, writing occasional editori- don’t want them to get mad at Science Tacoma, Wash., the son of Norwegian als until the late 1990s. A collection of or science.” immigrants. He received a bachelor’s 100 of his editorials was published in Sunday, August 8, 2004; degree in chemistry in 1933 and a mas- 1985 as “Enough of Pessimism.” © 2004 The Washington Post Com- ter’s degree in physics in 1935 from “I don’t mind people getting mad pany ◆

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