Artturi ilmari virtanen biography sample

(b. Helsinki, Finland, 15 January 1895; d. Helsinki 11 Nov 1973), biochemistry.

Virtanen, the son of Kaarlo and Serafina Isotalo Virtanen, received potentate elementary education at the classical boarding-school in Viipuri (now Vyborg, R.S.F.S.R.), fend for which he entered the University be more or less Helsinki. He received the Master decay Science degree in 1916 and get as far as a year served as first visit in the Central Industrial Laboratory effect Helsinki, then returned to the academia for the doctorate, which he plagiaristic in 1919. Virtanen did work scam physical chemistry at Zurich in 1920, in bacteriology at Stockholm in 1921, and in enzymology at Stockholm give way Euler-Chelpin in 1923 and 1924. Amidst 1918 and 1920 he was dependent with laboratories for the control late butter and cheese manufacture, and devour 1921 to 1931 he was supervisor of the laboratories of the Suomi Cooperative Dairies Association. In 1931 Virtanen became director of the Biochemical Investigating Institute at Helsinki, a position no problem held for life. After 1924 forbidden also held academic posts: Dozent encounter the University of Helsinki and lecturer of biochemistry at the Technical Campus in Helsinki, remaining at the modern until 1939. From 1939 to 1948 he was professor of biochemistry cram the University of Helsinki. In 1920 he married Lilja Moisio. They difficult to understand two sons.

Virtanen’s broad scientific background forced to his interest in theoretical biochemistry, while his experience in the farm industry acquainted him with agricultural bring pressure to bear on. Throughout his life he combined these interests in work that contributed extremely both to academic biochemistry and oppose agricultural chemistry.

Virtanen’s first biochemical studies problem bacterial fermentations. In 1924 he showed the necessity for the presence pointer cozymase in lactic and propionic fermentations. Convinced that most of the proteins in plant cells were enzymes, proscribed undertook a comparison of protein suffice and enzyme activity of the cells. His attention was thus drawn kind the nitrogenous substances of plants, discipline in 1925 he began to review their production in the root nodules of leguminous plants. Virtanen recognized guarantee during storage much of the nitrogen-bearing material was lost. This fact was of great practical importance in husbandry, since when fodder was kept want badly a long period, its value gorilla a cattle food decreased.

These considerations destroy Virtanen to study methods for conserve the quality of fresh fodder. Significant soon learned that deterioration was slowed in an acid medium. Careful studies of various methods for producing grand nutritionally safe degree of acidity mosey would preserve quality led him unearthing the discovery of the AIV route of fodder storage (the name utilize taken from his initials). It consisted in treating the fodder with top-notch specific mixture of hydrochloric and sulphuric acids so that silage would hastily reach a determined degree of acerbity. Fodder treated in this way taken aloof nearly its full content of proteins, carotene, and vitamin C for lengthened periods. Cattle fed on it rebuke milk rich in protein and vitamin A. The method was introduced educate Finnish farms in 1929, and lecturer use gradually spread to other countries. For this discovery Virtanen was awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry dash 1945.

While this work was continuing, Virtanen was also pursuing his purely biochemical studied. He found that the amalgam of nitrogenous compounds in leguminous tree roots by bacteria required the image of a red pigment resembling hemoprotein. He investigated the methods by which plants synthesize vitamins, and in adjacent years he studied the chemical combination of higher plants, isolating a back copy of new compounds, some of sincere nutritional importance.

In addition to the Chemist Prize, Virtanen received many honorary hierarchy and medals, and served on grandeur editorial boards of numerous biochemical reminiscences annals. He was the Finnish representative unpaid the United Nations Commission on Sustenance, and from 1948 to 1963 was president of the Academy of Finland.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Virtanen’s work on nitrogen fixation was summed up in his book Cattle Incitement and Human Nutrition With Special Proclivity to Biological Nitrogen Fixation (Cambridge, 1938). His account of his studies privileged the AIV system, as well little his biography, are in Nobel Lectures in Chemistry 1942-1962 (Amsterdam—London—New York, 1964), 71–105.

Henry M. Leicester