# Wiktor Kemula

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**Wiktor Kemula** (November 6, 1902, in [Izmail](/source/Izmail) – October 17, 1985, in [Warsaw](/source/Warsaw)) was a Polish [chemist](/source/Chemist), [electrochemist](/source/Electrochemist), and [polarographist](/source/Polarography). He greatly contributed to the development of electroanalytical [chemistry](/source/Chemistry), particularly [polarography](/source/Polarography). He is known for developing the [hanging mercury drop electrode](/source/Hanging_mercury_drop_electrode) (HMDE).

## Life and career

He was born in 1902 in [Izmail](/source/Izmail), [Russian Empire](/source/Russian_Empire) (present-day Ukraine).[1] In 1921, he graduated with honours from secondary school in Izmail and enrolled at the [Jan Kzimierz University](/source/Lviv_University) in [Lwów](/source/Lw%C3%B3w) to study chemistry. Between 1929 and 1930, he was on a scholarship at the [Charles University](/source/Charles_University) in [Prague](/source/Prague) where he studied under [Jaroslav Heyrovský](/source/Jaroslav_Heyrovsk%C3%BD) and in 1930–1931 he was in [Leipzig](/source/Leipzig) where he studied under [Peter Debye](/source/Peter_Debye) and [Fritz Weigert](/source/Fritz_Weigert). In the years 1936–1941, he was Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Jan Kazimierz University.[2] In 1936, he became a member of the [Lwów Scientific Society](/source/Lw%C3%B3w_Scientific_Society).

In the period of Soviet occupation of Lviv, he continued his scientific research in the city and taught chemistry at the secret Jan Kazimierz University.[3]

In 1945, he became a professor at the [University of Warsaw](/source/University_of_Warsaw). In 1955, he was elected president of the [Polish Chemical Society](/source/Polish_Chemical_Society). In 1961, he became a full member of the [Polish Academy of Sciences](/source/Polish_Academy_of_Sciences) (PAN).[4]

He invented the [hanging mercury drop electrode](/source/Hanging_mercury_drop_electrode) (HDME) and contributed to the development of [electroanalytical chemistry](/source/Electroanalytical_methods), especially [polarography](/source/Polarography). In 1965, he was awarded the [Centenary Prize](/source/Centenary_Prize) by the [Royal Society of Chemistry](/source/Royal_Society_of_Chemistry) (RSC).

Between 1981 and 1985, he served as head of the Warsaw Scientific Society ([Polish](/source/Polish_language): *Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie*). In 1982, he received an [honorary doctorate](/source/Honorary_doctorate) from the University of Warsaw.[5]

## See also

- [List of Polish chemists](/source/List_of_Poles#Chemistry)
- [Timeline of Polish science and technology](/source/Timeline_of_Polish_science_and_technology)

## References

1. Wiktor Niedzicki (19 October 2023). ["Zmarł podczas wykonywania Requiem Mozarta. Był wybitną postacią polskiej nauki"](https://radiopogoda.pl/zmarl-podczas-wykonywania-requiem-mozarta-byl-wybitna-postacia-polskiej-nauki) (in Polish). *radiopogoda.pl*. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

1. Draus, Jan (2007). *Uniwersytet Jana Kazimierza we Lwowie 1918–1946. Portret kresowej uczelni*. Kraków: Księgarnia Akademicka. p. 261. ISBN 978-83-7188-964-6.

1. Draus, Jan (2007). *Uniwersytet Jana Kazimierza we Lwowie 1918–1946. Portret kresowej uczelni*. Kraków: Księgarnia Akademicka. p. 152. ISBN 978-83-7188-964-6.

1. ["KEMULA, Wiktor"](https://pan.pl/czlonkowie/kemula_wiktor/) (in Polish). *pan.pl*. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

1. ["Doktoraty HC"](http://www.uw.edu.pl/o_uw/historia/dhcuw.html) (in Polish). *uw.edu.pl*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131022102044/http://www.uw.edu.pl/o_uw/historia/dhcuw.html) 2013-10-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wiktor Kemula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiktor_Kemula) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiktor_Kemula?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.