35th International Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry,I ISEAC 35
Gdansk, Poland, June 22–26, 2008
Gdansk Technical University



On June 22.-26. 2008, the 35th International Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry took place at the Gdansk University of Technology (GUT). The Symposium is part of a series of events and is organized every two years by the International Association of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (IAEAC).

The IAEAC is an international organization, which aims to promote and maintain scientific excellence in the area of environmental analytical chemistry and in the proper application of analytical methods to assess environmentally relevant substances.

Co-organizers of this year's conference, taking place in Gdansk under the patronage of the Rector of GUT, were the Committee on Analytical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Science as well as the Chemical Faculty of GUT. All organizational work was planned and carried out by a team from the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Chemical Faculty at GUT under the direction of Prof. Jacek Namiesnik. The lectures were held in the Aula, located in the wonderful, over 100 year-old building of GUT, and poster sessions took place in the relatively new impressive courtyards, covered with glass domes. In these courtyards, also social life evolved during coffee breaks as well as during meals.

This year's conference was one of the largest events related to analytical chemistry in Europe, and the largest taking place this year in Poland. Over 260 participants from all over the world could be welcomed, namely from Argentina, Australia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Egypt, Libya, Israel, Thailand, Taiwan, and from most European countries. An inspiring fact was that most of the attendants were rather young, which bodes well for the future. The scientific program covered a broad range of environmental analytical chemistry, such as the development of new analytical methods, the modeling of the transport of pollutants, an evaluation of the influence of environmental pollution on living organisms, laboratory and field studies, and environmental management. Invited lecturers provided the audience with high standard scientific information:

Prof. K. Pyrzynska, University of Warsaw/Poland ( Solid phase extraction sample processing for AAS detection); Prof. I. Holoubek, Research Center for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Brno/Czech Republic (Integrated approaches for determination of environmental and human risks of persistent toxic substances); Dr M. Carere, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome/Italy ( From risk assessment to evaluation of effective measures - implications of monitoring analyses in the implementation of EU environmental policies); Prof. F. H. Frimmel, University of Karlsruhe/Germany (Water Analysis: Key for Understanding Aquatic Systems); Prof. D. Knopp, Technical University of Munich/Germany ( Immunoanalysis in environmental and food chemistry); Prof. J. Broekaert, University of Hamburg/Germany (Advanced miniaturized plasmas as atomic spectrometric detectors for elemental determinations and speciation in environmental sciences); Dr M. Darecki, Institute of Oceanology PAS, Sopot/Poland (Satellite remote sensing of the Baltic ecosystem); Prof. A. Grochowalski, University of Technology, Kraków/Poland (Analytical problems in the determination of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds are still actual); Prof. R. van Grieken, University of Antwerp, Antwerp/Belgium (X-Ray spectrometry for preventive conservation of cultural heritage).

Following the invited speakers' lectures as well as the over 60 contributed oral presentations , the most recent trends in analysis of environmental pollution were thoroughly discussed. In addition three poster sessions took place in which over 250 posters were presented. Three awards were given for outstanding presentations:

The Roland W. Frei Award for the best poster presented by a young scientist to Agnieszka Krata, University of Antwerp/Belgium, as the lead author of the poster “Monitoring of Inorganic Gaseous Pollutants in the Polish Region of the Black Triangle”

A special award consisting of a one year free subscription of IJEAC to Renata Toczylowska-Maminska, University of Technology, Warsaw/Poland, for the poster “Miniaturized Potentiometric sensor for environmental analysis” (together with W. Wróblewski)

An award funded by the company AB Applied Biosystems to Marta Henriques, University of Lisbon, Lisbon/Portugal, as the lead author of the best poster related to Mass Spectrometry “Determination of several hormone disrupters in water by Solid-Phase Extraction, Liquid Chromatography and Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry.”

During the conference, 13 instrument manufacturers, laboratory equipment dealers and publishers of scientific literature presented their products ( www.informaworld.com/gaec)

Besides the scientific program outstandingly attractive social events made the symposium an unforgettable experience. For the opening of the conference, the organizers invited all participants to the Oliwa Cathedral where they could listen to the finale of the IX Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven and the “Exodus” by Wojciech Kilar. The Polish Philharmonic Orchestra, “Sinfonia Baltica”, as well as the joint choirs of the Gdansk University of Technology as well as the Children's-Youth choirs “Fantazja” were led by Bohdan Jarmolowicz. The honorary guest at the concert was His Excellence Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glódz –Gdansk Metropolitan.

On the third day of the conference, the organizers invited their guests to a party at “Wróblówka,” a popular excursion resort, where in a friendly atmosphere participants could meet very much at ease and enjoy some moments of rest from everydays' committments and responsibilities. The unique atmosphere of this place was ensured by the inner decoration, which consisted of interestingly designed fireplaces, hunter's trophies in the “hunting” room, as well as decorations from a “kaszubska” fishing hut with old fishing equipment, found in the “marine” room. Foreign guests could try Polish specialties which were served, including: “zurek” soup, boar and perogies. Many people enjoyed a long night "driven" by live music of the “Dedtko Band.

Finally it should be pointed out that the thousend-year-old Gdansk, a Hanseatic town playing an important and eventful role in European history, gave a beautiful frame for ISEAC 35. It is difficult to predict the outcome of such an event. It may be anticipated, however, that many new contacts between participants from numerous different countries were made, and that the spirit determining the Symposium will make these contacts result in new activities in environmental analytical chemistry.
Specific information can be found on the Symposium's website: http://www.pg.gda.pl/chem/iaeac/

Marek Biziuk, Patrycja Szpinek
Dieter Klockow