Alfred E. Treibs
Encyclopedia
Alfred E. Treibs was a German organic chemist who is credited with founding the area of organic geochemistry
. He received his PhD under Hans Fischer
at the Technical University of Munich
. Fischer had received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
for elucidating the structures of porphyrin
s. In the 1930’s Treibs discovered metalloporphyrins in petroleum. These porphyrins resemble chlorophyll
s. This discovery helped confirm the biological origin of petroleum, which was previously controversial.
Organic geochemistry
Organic geochemistry is the study of the impacts and processes that organisms have had on the Earth. The study of organic geochemistry is usually traced to the work of Alfred E. Treibs, "the father of organic geochemistry." Treibs first isolated metalloporphyrins from petroleum. This discovery...
. He received his PhD under Hans Fischer
Hans Fischer
Hans Fischer was a German organic chemist and the recipient of the 1930 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.-Early years:...
at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
. Fischer had received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
for elucidating the structures of porphyrin
Porphyrin
Porphyrins are a group of organic compounds, many naturally occurring. One of the best-known porphyrins is heme, the pigment in red blood cells; heme is a cofactor of the protein hemoglobin. Porphyrins are heterocyclic macrocycles composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at...
s. In the 1930’s Treibs discovered metalloporphyrins in petroleum. These porphyrins resemble chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
s. This discovery helped confirm the biological origin of petroleum, which was previously controversial.