Chemometrics, a powerful discipline that combines analytical chemistry and statistics, has revolutionized the way researchers approach data analysis and interpretation in various scientific fields [1]. BASF, a global leader in chemical research and development, has embraced the potential of chemometrics and successfully implemented it in several research and production projects. We aim to provide an overview of some applications of chemometrics in BASF's research endeavors, highlighting both successes achieved, and challenges encountered. We will introduce BASF, provide a brief overview of the concept of chemometrics and its significance in the realm of data analysis and interpretation, and discuss the challenges in implementing chemometrics in industrial environments. One or two examples of projects in which chemometrics has played a pivotal role in BASF's research will be presented. These examples will showcase the diverse applications of chemometrics, such as optimizing chemical processes, analysing complex mixtures, and predicting material properties. Furthermore, we will also shed light on the difficulties faced when implementing chemometrics in an industrial environment. These challenges include, not only, ensuring data integrity and quality, and bridging the gap between laboratory-scale experiments and large-scale production processes, but also challenges with connectivity, security and maintenance whilst working inside complex information systems. By showcasing both the achievements and challenges encountered, we hope to offer valuable insights into the potential of chemometrics in an industrial setting.
Literature: [1] Trends in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and chemometrics applied to chemical data. Rola Houhou, Thomas Bocklitz, Analytical Sciences Advances. 2021, Volume 2, Issue 2, p128-141.