Leopold von Pebal

Leopold von Pebal
Leopold von Pebal
Born	(1826-12-29)December 29, 1826 Seckau, Austria
Died	February 17, 1887(1887-02-17) (aged 60) Graz, Austria
Nationality	Austrian

Leopold von Pebal (December 29, 1826 – February 17, 1887) was an Austrian chemist.

In 1851 he obtained his PhD in Graz, followed by several years working as an assistant at the Joanneum. In 1855, he became a privat-docent of theoretical chemistry. Afterwards, he continued his education at Heidelberg, where he studied with Robert Bunsen (1811-1899) and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (1824-1887). From 1857, he served as an associate professor at the University of Lemberg.

Pebal remained a professor at Lemberg until 1865, after which he became a professor at the University of Graz. He planned the new chemistry laboratory in Graz, which was finished in 1878. Adolph Wurtz (1817-1884) was sent by the French government to report about the laboratory. The possibility that the institute would be divided into two independent institutes troubled Pebal, but with the help of colleagues the problems were resolved.

His wide-ranging research included studies involving the composition of stearic and citric acid.

Pebal was murdered by an employee of the University in front of his laboratory, where he died shortly after the attack.

References

• A. W. Hofmann (1887). "Mittheilungen Sitzung vom 28. Februar 1887 : Leopold von Pebal". Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft. 20 (1): 467–480. doi:10.1002/cber.188702001108.