Fritz Pregl

Fritz Pregl ( born September 3, 1869 in Ljubljana, Austria - Hungary, now Slovenia, † December 13, 1930 in Graz) was an Austrian physiologist and chemist.

Life

Pregl was born the son of a Slovenian-speaking father and a German mother in Ljubljana and studied medicine in Graz. He was a fellow student of Georg August Wagner. He was from 1913 professor at the Institute for Applied Medical Chemistry in Graz, before he was three years professor of medicinal chemistry in Innsbruck.

Work

Pregl was for the further development of clinical- chemical analysis of crucial importance. Only through his studies, it was possible in principle even in the smallest sample quantities as they are usually available for clinical- chemical tests available to perform accurate analyzes. Pregls work led to a sustainable improvement in the metabolic, hormonal and enzyme research.

His particular interest was the physiological chemistry and the metabolites occurring in the body. In the study of bile acid, which was obtained by extraction of bile, he received a few milligrams of pure bile acid. In order to establish the molecular formula, had both the molecular mass can be determined as well as elemental analysis, Liebig be performed, but this required much larger quantities. After a long development of methods known Pregl could reduce the required amount to one-fiftieth. This has made it possible with reasonable effort to isolate many substances and to determine their molecular formula.

The great influence Pregls was due mainly to the fact that he did not consider this method a secret, but they vorführte at lectures and in addition a laboratory in Graz einrichtete, could learn his method in the chemists from around the world. Only the introduction of the crystal structure analysis, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis could enter something in the background.

Honors

• Lieben Prize in 1914
• Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1923 " for he developed microanalysis of organic substances ".

In Innsbruck, Fritz Pregl - street is named after him, with the participation of institutes of the Medical University of Innsbruck and the urban West Cemetery are located. From 1931 to 2006, awarded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences of Fritz Pregl Prize. In 1932 ( 10th District ), the Fritz- Pregl - street named after him in Vienna favorites.

In Graz he was named an honorary citizen in 1929 and in honor of his work as a professor at the Institute of Applied Medical Chemistry, Fritz- Pregl - way to him.