(Established in 1949)
Terms
of Reference
The goal of the Analytical Chemistry Division is the
promotion of the principal branches of analytical chemistry. In many
instances this is achieved in collaboration with other Divisions.
This includes the critical and comparative evaluation
of established and emerging analytical methods, to enable analytical
chemists to choose those best suited for specific applications. These
activities include:
- harmonisation and proposal of rules for interlaboratory comparisons,
- recommendations for sample collection, preparation, storage
and handling,
- the compilation of data used in analytical chemistry and their
critical evaluation,
- the definition of recommended methods and proper application
of QC and QA procedures.
The Division encourages interactions between the basic
and applied disciplines. Its work is currently focussed on analytical
methods and their applications, as follows:
1. General aspects of analytical chemistry. This
includes all matters relating to terminology in analytical chemistry,
chemometrics, figures of merit, quality assurance, and fundamental
data including those for solubility and chemical equilibria.
2. Separation methods. This includes the
development of critical guidelines, definition of terms, and recommendations
for the operation of analytical separation methods.
3. Spectrochemical methods. This includes the
critical assessment of spectrochemical methods of analysis involving
electromagnetic radiation and compilation of fundamental data.
4. Mass spectrometric methods for elemental
and molecular analysis.
5. Electrochemical methods. This includes the
critical assessment of electroanalytical methods. Recommendations
for standardisation and measurement procedures, development of critical
guidelines, compilation of essential data and assessment of terminology
are considered.
6. Nuclear chemistry methods. This includes analytical
methods based on the measurement of isotopes and isotope ratios, and
radiochemical methods and their applications.
The Division is the home for the HInterdivisional
Working Party on Harmonisation of Quality Assurance, which is
the responsibility of a designated working party (WPHQA). A subcommittee
is responsible for solubility data and equilibrium data (Subcommittee
for Solubility and Equilibrium Data).
> Division
Rules