Welcome to IAEAC
International Association of Environmental Analytical Chemistry
A non-for profit organisation with the goal of furthering the excellence of science in environmental analytical chemistry and food monitoring
Who We Are
The “International Association of Environmental Analytical Chemistry” (IAEAC) is a worldwide operating organization aiming at promoting and maintaining scientific excellence in the area of environmental analytical chemistry and the proper use of the inherent methodologies for the assessment of substances relevant for man and his environment. The activities of IAEAC are designed to provide the opportunity for scientists to exchange cutting edge research results relevant to environment and to provide training in the most advanced analytical technologies. To accomplish its goals, the organization has established the following regularly occurring events: symposia, workshops, short courses.
Our History
The International Association of Environmental Analytical Chemistry had its beginnings in 1971 with a scientific meeting, organized to provide a forum for how analytical chemists might contribute to the recent “environmental revolution”. It has had a long and successful lifetime, morphing from that initial meeting into an organization that has a worldwide impact. It is interesting and informative to reflect on the events and changes that have taken place during the ensuing years. The following is a historical account of the formation and development of the IAEAC.
ISEAC History:
The event that launched the IAEAC along its way was the Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry, organized by the late Professor Dr. Roland Frei, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the spring of 1971. Professor Dr. Roland Frei’s idea was to bring together analytical chemists who were developing new techniques that might be of importance for measurements related to the environment. Also, he sought to include individuals interested in environmental problems who might be potential users of such methodology. This concept established one of the long-term, continuing themes of the IAEAC. Professor Dr. Roland Frei was assisted in his efforts by Dr. Otto Hutzinger and the event was sponsored by the Analytical Division of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry and Dalhousie University.
From 1972, it was decided that the meeting would be held on the opposite sides of the Atlantic in alternate years: odd years in the USA and even years in Europe. Although separate committees would organize the meetings on the different continents, an effort would be made to fund travel for scientists and committee members from the other location. Consistent with this decision, Professor Dr. Roland Frei organized the 1974 meeting in Basel, Switzerland.
The format of the European meeting was, of necessity, quite different from those held in the USA. The Europeans did not have the advantage of large block funding from an organization such as the U.S. EPA. Their format involved having several invited speakers, often addressing larger environmental issues, but they also solicited submitted papers and established an exhibit for scientific instrument manufacturers and publishers. Here, as is often the case, economics determined the nature of the operation.
Both the Jekyll Island and European meetings were incorporated early on. The JI meeting was incorporated in the State of Georgia in 1975 as a non-profit corporation the primary motivation was to have a repository for funds that was not subject to personal income tax or the spending rules of Georgia or the EPA. The breadth of Roland Frei’s vision showed up again; the European meeting was incorporated with a much broader agenda. The IAEAC was incorporated under Swiss law in 1977. The Executive Committee, with the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Cashier (Treasurer), was charged with the responsibility of running the corporation. In addition, two auditors were responsible for verifying all financial transactions. The first meeting of the Executive.
A Committee meeting was held in Davos, Switzerland in May of 1977 and elected the first members of the Executive Committee and the auditors. Additionally, it was established that the Executive Committee would be elected by the membership every four years at a general assembly of the corporation.
Professor Roland Frei and Dr. Ernest Merlan served in their capacities with distinction and were largely responsible for the early success of the IAEAC, along with a major assist from Professor Haerdi; only a few changes occurred in Executive Committee membership from, 1977-1990. The IAEAC suffered a major blow with Roland Frei’s untimely death in 1989, which resulted in a new Executive Committee being put in place in 1990 with Dr. Jim Lawrence (a former student of Roland’s) as President.
Journal History
At about the same time that he established that first meeting in Halifax, which would lead to formation of the IAEAC, Prof. Roland Frei started an environmental analytical journal, the International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (IJEAC). Roland held the position of Editor, and Dr. Brian W. Bailey that of Associate Editor. An international Editorial Board was established; I joined the Board in 1973. The first volume of the journal was published in 1972, Gordon and Breach was the publisher.
The journal is still published today and is thriving; the journal publishes multiple volumes in any year. Prof Roland Frei remained as editor until his death, after which Prof Joan Albaiges assumed the editorship. Currently there are two regional editors, one for North America (R. Burk) and one for Japan (M. Morita). The IJEAC became the “official” journal of the IAEAC, even though it was owned by Gordon and Breach. In 2002 the journal was sold to Taylor and Francis, the current publisher. Under the diligent and thoughtful guidance of Roberto Pilloton, the journal has continued to increase in both scientific quality and influence.
Workshops and Symposia
Another important activity of the IAEAC has been to establish workshops and symposia on selected topics of environmental interest. Some of these have been on-going series, some single events, and some in between. Table 3 lists meetings and workshops that are presently active. The most noteworthy is the Montreux LC/MS Symposium which was started in 1980.
In addition. the IAEAC has sponsored a number of workshops that were held repeatedly at different places in Europe and North America in the 1980s and 1990s, occasionally in conjunction with a major conference. Typical examples were workshops on chlorinated dioxins and related compounds, ion chromatography, chemistry and analysis of hydrocarbons, organophosphorus compounds and soil residue analysis.
A very noteworthy program begun by the IAEAC, primarily at the behest of Prof. Joseph Tarradellas, was holding regional conferences on environmental topics in different parts of the world. The reason for this activity was to provide scientific platforms for environmental scientists worldwide, particularly in those countries outside of North America and Western Europe. My personal belief is that this activity has helped to stimulate environmental research in many places where this might not otherwise have occurred.