The Department of Chemistry offers a variety of fundamental and advanced courses in chemistry to leverage students‘ skills in all areas of life sciences. The Department of Chemistry provides research in plant phenolics & botanicals, analysis of food and commodities, food & environmental contaminants, chemistry of wood, fuels, and lubricants. It also provides analytical support to other research groups at CZU.
Research activity at the Department of Chemistry is mainly focused on natural substances with antioxidant properties, hydrophilic and lipophilic natural dyes, complex carbohydrates, investigation of trace and toxic metals in agricultural products and foodstuffs, analysis of milk and dairy products, vegetable and animal fats. Research is also devoted to the investigation, analysis and application of biofuels.
Currently, two multidisciplinary NAAR projects were granted to investigate coloured wheat grains and to monitor the quality of sheep milk.
The Department of Chemistry educates students of the faculties FAFNR, FE, FES, FTAS, and FFWS. Education comprises classes in general inorganic, analytical, and organic chemistries; biochemistry; wood chemistry; micronutrients; fuel/lubricant chemistry; advanced analytical chemistry and many applied chemistry classes. For PhD students graduating at the Department of Chemistry in the field of Agricultural Chemistry, the department offers advanced classes in specialised analytical chemistry, chemistry of natural compounds and special plant/animal biochemistry.
The Department of Chemistry works with the following Czech and foreign institutions: Milk Research Institute, Crop Research Institute, Faculty of Science of Charles University, Institute of Endocrinology, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Institute of Experimental Botany, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Institute of Biophysics, Institute of Microbiology, Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonia), Universite de Lorraine (France), Latvia University of Agriculture (Latvia), Universitas Negery Medan (Indonesia) and Colorado School of Mines (USA).
