Education
Afzelius received his Doctor of Philosophy at Uppsala University in 1776 under Torbern Olof Bergman.
Afzelius received his Doctor of Philosophy at Uppsala University in 1776 under Torbern Olof Bergman.
He was the brother of botanist Adam Afzelius and physician Pehr von Afzelius. In 1780 he became a lecturer at Uppsala and in 1784 a professor of chemistry. From 1792 to 1797 he undertook research trips to Norway, Denmark and Russia in order to study mineral deposits and to visit scientific institutions.
His remarkable mineral collection became part of Uppsala University"s mineral cabinet.
Afzelius did mineral analyses, and made contributions to the journal Afhandlingar i fysik, kemi och mineralogi (Treatises on physics, chemistry and mineralogy). He is notable for having isolated formic acid from ants and showing formic acid was different from the closely related acetic acid.
He also studied the chemistry of nickel and oxalic acid.
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences]
In 1801, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.