Soret held the chairs of chemistry (1873-1887) and medical physics (1887-1890) at the
University of Geneva.[1]
Soret determined the chemical composition and density of
ozone and the conditions for its production.[1][2] He described it correctly as being composed of three oxygen atoms bound together.[3][4][5]
In 1878, he and
Marc Delafontaine were the first to spectroscopically observe the
element later named
holmium, which they identified simply as an "earth X" derived from "erbia".[2][7][8] Independently,
Per Teodor Cleve separated it chemically from
thulium and
erbium in 1879.[9][10] All three researchers are given credit for the element's discovery.[2]
The
Soret peak or Soret band, a strong absorption band at approximately 420 nm in the absorption spectra of
hemoglobin, is also named after him.[11][12]
Death
Jacques-Louis Soret died in Geneva on 13 May 1890.[1]
His son was
Charles Soret, a recognized physicist and chemist in his own right.[13]