What makes inorganic chemistry inevitable?
Introduction:-Inorganic chemistry is the chemistry of all elements except carbon [1] Inorganic chemistry is the study of the formation, properties and synthesis of all compounds that are not carbon hydrogen bonded. In organic chemistry basically mostly involved descriptive study of the elements and their compounds except those of carbon, there are over one hundred thousand (100,000) discovered inorganic compounds, some of the most common among them are water, (H2O) silicon dioxide(SiO2) Sodiumchloride(NaCl), tetraoxosulpahate VI acid (sulfuric acid) H2SO4, sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Some of the most widely used inorganic elements are iron, chlorine, gold silver, sulphur, uranium etc. Inorganic compounds are classified into acid, basic and neutral (salts) while the elements are classified as metals and non-metals.
Areas of specialization in inorganic chemistry includes but not limited to, geochemistry, material chemistry, nano chemistry, textiles chemistry, organ metallic chemistry ceramic chemistry, metallurgy along with others.
Application of Inorganic Chemistry.
Soon after the Middle Ages, factories supplying soap, alum, acids and other basic chemicals were set up.as the society become complex the need to develop and produce important chemicals grew. Chemists set to work together to fulfill these needs. War also served as a force in accelerating these developments [2]. Organic chemistry is also called the mainstream chemistry because of its wide involvement in almost all the compounds of the periodic table. Inorganic chemistry plays pivotal role in the following areas: -
1. Coatings paint and pigments industry.
2. Microships firms.
3. Metals, ores and mining industries.
4. Plastics and fibers industries
5. Environmental control industries
6. Medicinal and pharmaceutical industries.
7. Food processing industries.
8. Nuclear generation plants (industries)
9. Water purification and processing firms
The Inevitability of Inorganic Chemistry.
While organic compounds are over two million; compared to over one hundred thousand inorganic compounds, the inorganic compounds along with over hundred known elements play a pivotal role that makes it crucial in the following critical areas of human endeavors:
(i). Health care services.
(ii). Solid minerals exploration.
(iii). Computer and electronic parts industries.
(iv). Pollution control and environmental science relevance.
(v). Water treatment and processing firms.
(vi). Food processing industries.
(i). Health care services: -Right from the raw materials and finished products compounds inorganic chemicals and inorganic chemistry played a strategic and wide role in the synthesis of drugs and antiseptics of organ metallic and inorganic origins. Metallodrugs like cisplatin, (cis-diamine-dichloroplatinum (II) (Platinol) is used to treat cancerous tumor cells while hydrogen peroxide is widely used in the hospital to disinfect the instruments, toiletries and the entire medical environment against any possible infections of bacteria and viruses. "Medicinal inorganic chemistry and metal-based complexes seem to be the one of the best therapeutic approaches to treat and diagnose the diseases as well as their medical usage in ancient times of Mesopotamia, India, Egypt and China. Thus, metallo drugs will certainly take a key part of drug development to improve the quality of life of patients.''[3]
(ii). Solid minerals exploration: - Geochemists (inorganic chemistry trained geologist) play a critical role in confirming evaluating and exploration of solid minerals deposits mostly containing inorganic materials. This play a vital role in the economy of many countries that defend on solid minerals for their economic sustenance. Widely known solid minerals like iron, sulphur, potassium, platinum, gold, silver diamond etc. The inorganic expertise in the quantification and quality standard of the solid minerals is critical to the harnessing of the minerals which finally serves the public use.
(iii). Computers and electronic parts industries: -Silicon dioxide (SiO2) had been known to be used to synthesize varieties of diodes like Ge-Si (Germanium-silicon), which is used in the microchips. Integrated circuits or monolithic integrated circuits are an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned deposition of trace elements to the surfaces of a thin substance of substrate of semiconductor materials. The integrated circuits are virtually all electronic equipment today. It had revolutionized society. Cell phone, computers and other electronic appliances are now in separable parts of our modern societies. They are also used for sensory applications in medical in plants and bioelectronics devices' IBM, and Samsung semiconductors companies focus on the microchips production.
(iv). Pollution control and environmental science relevance. -The chemistry of the environment constitutes both organic and inorganic compounds. Environmental chemists use inorganic chemistry to understand how the uncontaminated environment works, which chemicals and in what concentrations are present naturally and with what effects. they identify the effects of compounds like fertilizers constituents' compounds (mostly inorganic in nature), insecticides herbicides on the natural processes. They apply atmospheric, soil and aquatic chemistry.
(v). Water treatment and processing: -Inorganic compounds like chlorine played a vital role in the disinfecting the contaminated portable water been an inorganic compound water have a special property of universal solubility. This warrants an expertise of inorganic chemists to manage it and regulate various components that interact with it, with an intention to remove or manage or control the standard; the quantification is done by analytical chemists through a guide of an inorganic chemist. Without an informed knowledge of an inorganic chemist the analysis would not be quite feasible.
(vi). Food processing industry.
Food processing requires an input of in organic chemists in carbonated products industries, like coke drinks industries played a complementary role in their processing.
The inevitable role played by an inorganic chemistry is quite in exhaustible in all human endeavors; it includes role in the following vital firms and industries: -
a. Cloth or textile processing firms.
b. Space Science and research institutes.
c. Military and warfare or defense industries.
d. Military and defense industries.
e. Food processing industry.
f. Petrochemical industries
g. Agricultural and allied industries.
h. Printing and photographic industries.
I. Glass and ceramic industries.
j. Cement and building material industries
k. Soap and detergents industries.
l.Petrochemical industries.
m. Tannery (hides and skin) processing industries
References
1. Housecroft C.E and A.G Sharpe A.G (2008) Pearson Educational Books limited.
2. Osei Yaw Ababio(2010). New School Chemistry, Onitsha: Africana First Published Ltd.
3. Varol, M. (2016). The Importance of Metal-Based Drugs in Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry to Improve Life Quality of Patients. Journal of Applied Pharmacy, 2016.