# Torsten C. Schmidt
**Torsten C. Schmidt** (born 1968 in Bad Marienberg, Germany) is a German environmental and analytical chemist who has held the Chair of Instrumental Analytical Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen since 2006 and serves as Scientific Director at the IWW Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wasserforschung in Mülheim an der Ruhr.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) • [2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) He is known for two lines of work: sulfate-radical-based advanced oxidation of organic contaminants in water, and compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA), a set of techniques that measures stable isotope ratios of individual organic compounds to trace their origin and transformation. His stated research aim is a more comprehensive understanding of the occurrence, effects, fate, and abatement of organic contaminants in aquatic systems.[3](https://theanalyticalscientist.com/power-list/2024/planet-protectors/torsten-c-schmidt/)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968, Bad Marienberg, Germany[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) |
| Chair | Professor of Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, since February 2006[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) |
| IWW role | Scientific Director, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, since November 2006[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) |
| Training | Diploma in Chemistry 1994 (Marburg and Heriot-Watt Edinburgh); PhD 1997, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Analytical Chemistry; Habilitation 2006, University of Tübingen[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) • [2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) |
| Signature work | *Degradation of Chlorotriazine Pesticides by Sulfate Radicals and the Influence of Organic Matter*, Environmental Science & Technology, 2015[4](https://www.uni-due.de/iac/2014_torsten_schmidt.shtml) |
| Society roles | Executive Board, German Water Chemistry Society (GDCh), from 2010; national representative at IUPAC's Analytical Chemistry Division[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) |
| Recent recognition | The Analytical Scientist Power List 2024, "Planet Protectors"[3](https://theanalyticalscientist.com/power-list/2024/planet-protectors/torsten-c-schmidt/) |
## Career
Schmidt received his Diploma in Chemistry in 1994 from Philipps-University Marburg and Heriot-Watt-University Edinburgh, and his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Marburg in 1997.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) His dissertation, carried out at Marburg from March 1995 to December 1997, developed an LC-IRMS (liquid chromatography coupled to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) interface for the compound-specific determination of nitrogen isotope ratios of organic compounds via wet chemical oxidation and reduction, a theme he returned to decades later.[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403)
After the doctorate he worked as a postdoc and research scientist at Eawag/[ETH Zurich](https://www.edgepedia.org/eth-zurich) in the Department of Chemistry, Water Resources and Drinking Water, from 1998 to 2002.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) From 2002 to 2006 he led the Environmental Chemistry and Analysis group at the Center for Applied Geoscience of the [University of Tübingen](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-tubingen), where he completed his [Habilitation](https://www.edgepedia.org/habilitation) in 2006 in the Department of Geosciences with the Venia Legendi in Hydrogeochemistry and Environmental Analysis.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf)
In February 2006 he took up the Chair of Instrumental Analytical Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen, and in November 2006 he became Scientific Director for water chemistry at the IWW Water Centre in Mülheim an der Ruhr.[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) In 2010 he declined a call to the Chair of Water Chemistry and Water Technology at the [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology](https://www.edgepedia.org/karlsruhe-institute-of-technology).[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf)
## Research
His group's work spans two connected areas.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf)
**Sulfate-radical-based water treatment.** Peroxydisulfate-based advanced oxidation generates sulfate radicals (SO4•−) that degrade organic contaminants in water and in contaminated soils and shallow groundwater; the underlying radical chemistry has been studied for over five decades.[5](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.3c07409) Schmidt's group examined what limits this chemistry in real waters. The 2015 Water Research study [Sulfate radical](https://www.edgepedia.org/sulfate-radical)-based water treatment in presence of chloride showed the formation of chlorate, the inter-conversion of sulfate radicals into hydroxyl radicals, and the influence of bicarbonate.[4](https://www.uni-due.de/iac/2014_torsten_schmidt.shtml)
**Compound-specific isotope analysis.** CSIA measures isotope ratios of individual compounds, and Schmidt's 2012 review in the Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry set out its uses in water: contaminant source apportionment, quantification of biotic and abiotic processes, and identification of transformation reactions at a mechanistic level.[6](https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-anchem-062011-143143) A practical constraint drives much of his method development: LC-IRMS relies on wet chemical oxidation that converts all oxidizable carbon to CO2, so organic eluent additives must be avoided, and since about 90% of established LC methods use organic solvents, the application of LC-IRMS has been very limited to date.[7](https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/537343248?language=en)
## Representative work
*Degradation of Chlorotriazine Pesticides by Sulfate Radicals and the Influence of Organic Matter* ([Environmental Science & Technology](https://doi.org/10.1021/es503496u), 2015, vol. 49, pp. 1673–1680) tested whether sulfate-radical oxidation of the chlorotriazine pesticide family remains effective in the presence of the natural organic matter found in real waters, a condition that governs whether the process can be used in practice.[4](https://www.uni-due.de/iac/2014_torsten_schmidt.shtml)
## Role at the IWW Water Centre and the ZWU
The IWW Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wasserforschung is a water research institute in Mülheim an der Ruhr; Schmidt has been one of its Scientific Directors since November 2006, responsible for water chemistry.[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403) At the university he has also been Scientific Director of the Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU) since 2009 and [Dean](https://www.edgepedia.org/dean-education) of Studies of the Faculty of Chemistry since 2008.[1](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf) The group's line of sulfate-radical work is also documented in a 2013 University of Duisburg-Essen dissertation, *Sulfate radical based oxidation in water treatment*, which is cataloged with Schmidt among its associated names.[8](https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/item/EEZSPPQD27GU7S6ZRT4H6FE66E6FJ7GW)
## Recent developments
The Analytical Scientist named Schmidt to its 2024 Power List in the "Planet Protectors" category.[3](https://theanalyticalscientist.com/power-list/2024/planet-protectors/torsten-c-schmidt/) His group's DFG funding since 2024 includes two projects: development of a two-dimensional LC-IRMS coupling so that conventional [reversed-phase chromatography](https://www.edgepedia.org/reversed-phase-chromatography) with organic solvents can be used in compound-specific stable isotope analysis, and a 3D-printed passive air-water sampler for environmental pollution studies; the DFG record lists 19 projects in total, 5 ongoing and 14 completed.[9](https://gepris.dfg.de/person/1586816) • [7](https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/537343248?language=en) Since 2025 he has held DFG funding within Graduiertenkolleg GRK 3043 AMTEC-PRO on advanced methods and technologies for proton therapy.[9](https://gepris.dfg.de/person/1586816)
Recent publications extend both research lines. A 2025 paper in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry develops alkaline [persulfate oxidation](https://www.edgepedia.org/persulfate-oxidation) as an intermediate step toward a wet-chemical-oxidation interface for compound-specific δ15N analysis by LC-IRMS.[10](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-025-05795-2) A 2026 Analytical Chemistry paper (13 January 2026) covers temperature-responsive liquid chromatography for one- and two-dimensional separations in CSIA, and further 2026 papers describe a 3D-printed device for on-site headspace stir bar sorptive extraction of environmental waters and automated QuEChERS-based sample preparation for GC–MS/MS analysis of about ten phthalates in edible oils.[2](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403)
## References
1. [Torsten C. Schmidt – Curriculum Vitae (University of Duisburg-Essen)](https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/iac/cv_torsten_schmidt_e.pdf)
2. [Torsten C. Schmidt (0000-0003-1107-4403) – ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1107-4403)
3. [The Analytical Scientist Power List 2024 – Torsten C. Schmidt](https://theanalyticalscientist.com/power-list/2024/planet-protectors/torsten-c-schmidt/)
4. [Prof. Dr. Torsten C. Schmidt – publication list, Chair of Instrumental Analytical Chemistry](https://www.uni-due.de/iac/2014_torsten_schmidt.shtml)
5. [From Theory to Practice: Leveraging Chemical Principles To Improve the Performance of Peroxydisulfate-Based In Situ Chemical Oxidation (Environ. Sci. Technol.)](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.3c07409)
6. [Origin and Fate of Organic Compounds in Water: Characterization by Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis (Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry, 2012)](https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-anchem-062011-143143)
7. [DFG GEPRIS – Development and evaluation of a 2D-LC-IRMS hyphenation (project 537343248)](https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/537343248?language=en)
8. [Sulfatradikal-basierte Oxidation in der Wasseraufbereitung – Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek](https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/item/EEZSPPQD27GU7S6ZRT4H6FE66E6FJ7GW)
9. [DFG GEPRIS – Professor Dr. Torsten Schmidt](https://gepris.dfg.de/person/1586816)
10. [Alkaline persulfate oxidation as an intermediate step for the development of a wet chemical oxidation interface for compound-specific δ15N analysis by LC-IRMS (Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2025)](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-025-05795-2)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Physical world and mathematics › Physical and mathematical scientists › Chemists › Environmental and atmospheric chemists*
*Initially written Sep 21, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 25, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 25, 2026*
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