Artturi Ilmari Virtanen

Artturi Ilmari Virtanen () (January 15, 1895 – November 11, 1973) was a Finnish chemist and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

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Virtanen was born in Helsinki, Finland. He studied the Classical Lyceum at Viipuri, Finland. After that Virtanen studied chemistry, biology, and physics. In 1939 he became Professor of Biochemistry at the Finnish Institute of Technology in Helsinki and at the University of Helsinki in 1939. His research included partially synthetic cattle feeds, nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the root nodules and improved methods of butter preservation.

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In 1945 Virtanen became a Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, for his research in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method (AIV Fodder). The method ? which he had published in 1943 - improved the storage of green fodder that is important during long winters. Process includes adding dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid to newly stored grain. Increased acidity stops harmful fermentation and has no adverse effect on the nutritive value of the fodder or animals that eat it.

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The asteroid 1449 Virtanen, discovered by the renowned Finnish astronomer and physicist Yrj? V?is?l?, was named after him.

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January 15: January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 350 days remaining (351 in leap years)....

1895: 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar)....

1973: 1973 was a common year starting on Monday....