History

The Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, was established in 1955, evolving from the Institute of Analytical Chemistry.

Prof. Samuel Stankoviansky (1907–1980) served as the first Head of the Department from 1955 to 1959. An experienced specialist, he energetically guided and effectively directed the work of the young team, laying a solid foundation for the successful development of analytical chemistry at the faculty. Under his leadership, the core staff, who constituted the department for many years and, in part, still do today, developed professionally.

From 1959 to 1976, Assoc. Prof. Pavol Majer led the department. He is particularly credited with advancing the analysis of organic substances and pioneering the use of mixed and non-aqueous media in analytical chemistry. Assoc. Prof. Emil Kuchár headed the department from 1976 to 1980. He continued its development and focused on using organic reagents for the trace analysis of metals. Following his death in 1980, Assoc. Prof. Vlasta Madajová was appointed to lead the department. Her work centered on reagents and capillary isotachophoresis. In 1981, leadership passed to Assoc. Prof. (and later Prof.) Ján Kandráč (1934–2010), who served until the end of 1989. He continued the work on organic reagents for trace metal analysis and advanced the field of liquid chromatography.

In 1990, RNDr. Dušan Kaniansky, CSc. was elected Head of the Department, initially for a one-year term, and subsequently for the periods 1991–1997 and 2003–2010. During this time, he served as an Associate Professor and, after 2001, as Prof. RNDr. Dušan Kaniansky, DrSc. (1946–2010). He played an exceptional and pivotal role in shaping the department's profile around modern instrumental methods, focusing on instrumentation development and the advancement of electro-separation techniques, liquid chromatography, and atomic and mass spectrometry. Prof. Kaniansky, Prof. Stankoviansky's most prominent protégé, was a key founder of the Slovak scientific school of electromigration separation methods. Through his scientific, pedagogical, and organizational work at Comenius University, he significantly influenced the broader professional community, both domestically and internationally.

From 1997 to 2003 and again from 2010 to 2021, the department was led by Prof. RNDr. Milan Hutta, CSc., whose work focused on liquid chromatography and its integration with other analytical methods. In 2021, Prof. RNDr. Marián Masár, PhD. assumed leadership of the department; his work focuses on electro-separation techniques, with a particular emphasis on miniaturized analytical systems.

Since its inception, the department has provided instruction in analytical chemistry not only for students specializing in analytical chemistry but also for students in other chemistry disciplines, as well as in geology and biology. It has also provided instruction for students in teacher-training combinations, preparing future secondary school chemistry teachers.