Introductory editorial thematic issue: Advances in Geochemistry of the Surface in Argentina

TORRES AMÉRICO I.; BOUZA PABLO J.

Environmental Earth Sciences

SPRINGER

Lugar: Heidelberg; Año: 2017 p. 223 - 224

1866-6280

Geochemistry involves the study of the distribution, proportion and association of chemical elements of the earth´s crust that are present in different matrices such as water (sweet, saline, residual, rain, underground), soils, minerals, sediments, rocks, and air. Initially, this discipline was only used to study the composition and formation of rocks, but nowadays simultaneously relatesgeology to chemistry.In Argentina, geochemistry began to be researched in the nineteenth century helped by other sciences. Initially, this branch of science was promoted by Argentina´s President Domingo F. Sarmiento (1811-1888), who encouraged immigration of prestigious foreign researchers and professors (biologists, chemists, naturalists, etc.). Since 1867, significant numbers of Europeanprofessionals began to immigrate to Argentina. During that time, several scientific institutions, such as, Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Observatorio Astronómico, Sociedad Científica Argentina, Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, among others (Rapela and Depetris, 2016), were founded in Argentina. In the twentieth century, the growth of geochemistry in Argentina was sustained and promoted byuniversity professors. Consequently, geochemistry has evolved and consolidated into a scientific activity (Rapela and Depetris, 2016).