description Karl Schwarzenbach Overview
Karl Schwarzenbach (1904–1978) was a prominent Swiss analytical chemist whose work fundamentally advanced the field of coordination chemistry. He is best remembered for his development of complexometric titration methods and the introduction of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) as a versatile chelating agent. His research provided reliable quantitative analytical techniques for determining the concentration of metal ions in solution. Schwarzenbach's foundational theories and methods remain essential in modern chemical analysis and water hardness testing.
help Karl Schwarzenbach FAQ
What is Karl Schwarzenbach's full name?
Reference sources commonly list the Swiss chemist as Gerold Karl Schwarzenbach, with Karl Gerold Schwarzenbach also appearing in biographical records. He lived from 1904 to 1978 and was associated with Horgen, Zurich, and ETH Zurich. [ETH history](https://chab.ethz.ch/das-departement/ueber-uns/geschichte/geschichte-der-chemie.html)
What did Karl Schwarzenbach contribute to coordination chemistry?
Schwarzenbach helped advance the study of metal complexes and the use of EDTA as a multidentate ligand. His work also established complexometric titration as an important analytical method for measuring metal ions. [Deutsche Biographie](https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz120094.html)
Where did Karl Schwarzenbach work?
He taught and researched at the University of Zurich before becoming professor and laboratory director at ETH Zurich in 1955. ETH records list him as an ordinary professor of inorganic chemistry from 1955 until 1973. [ETH professor record](https://www.ethistory.ethz.ch/materialien/professoren/listen/alle_profs/printerfriendly/)
Which awards did Karl Schwarzenbach receive?
He received the Marcel Benoist Prize in 1963 for his scientific work. Reference biographies also record an honorary doctorate from the University of Bern in 1971. [Chemistry biography](https://www.chemie.de/lexikon/Gerold_Schwarzenbach.html)
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