Google Doodle honours SPL Sorensen who introduced pH scale
New Delhi, May 29 : Google on Tuesday celebrated Danish chemist Soren Peder Lauritz Sorensen who introduced the pH scale to the world with an interactive Doodle.
Sorensen's method of expressing acidity -- the negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration (pH) -- still has a wide range of real-world uses.
For example, in agriculture, the pH value can indicate the moisture associated with a soil, which can reveal what crops are suitable for the soil and what adjustments farmers must make to adapt it for growing any other crops.
Born in Havrebjerg in 1868, Sorensen was initially interested in studying medicine at University of Copenhagen. But he eventually spent more time studying chemistry and obtained his PhD in 1899.
Sorensen did most of his research in Carlsberg Laboratories. He became the director of its chemical section in 1901. While at Carlsberg, Sorensen started to study amino acids, proteins and enzymes.
As hydrogen ion concentration played a key role in enzymatic reactions he devised a simple way of expressing it, according to EuCheMS, the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences.
He found that by taking a negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration a convenient scale can be established. This is the well-known pH value.
He also developed buffer solutions to maintain constant pH of solutions (Sorensen buffers), EuCheMS noted in a short biography of the scientist in its website.
The Google Doodle on Tuesday allows users to see for themselves the pH value of different food items, including tomatoes and eggs in a scale of 1 to 14.
Sorensen retired from his post at Carlsberg in 1938. He died in Copenhagen in 1939.
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316 domestic LPG cylinders used for commercial purposes seized in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Department said on Saturday that authorities have seized 316 domestic LPG cylinders allegedly being used for commercial purposes across the state and registered cases against those involved.
Also, a case has been registered against a gas agency which was illegally refilling gas cylinders.
"Following the minister's (K H Muniyappa) instructions to take appropriate legal action if domestic cylinders are used for commercial purposes, cases have been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and seizures have been made across the state, including 45 in Peenya and 209 in Chikkajala of Bengaluru, 3 in Shivamogga district, 46 in Davanagere and 13 in Yadgir district," the department said in a release.
Similarly, a case has been registered against a gas agency shop in KGF, Kolar district, which was conducting illegal refilling of gas cylinders, it said.
As per the central government guidelines, 20 per cent of the total commercial cylinders will be distributed to hospitals, schools, educational institutions, airports, railway stations, bus stands, canteens, important temples for distribution of prasad, government offices, old age homes, and important private sector offices on priority, the department said.
Further, it said that a total of 3,86,363 domestic cylinders (14.2 kg) and 6,371 commercial cylinders have been distributed across the state today. Steps have been taken to ensure that there is no problem with the supply of domestic cylinders, it added.
