jan 04 ci - international union of pure and applied...

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CHEMISTRY International January-February 2004 Volume 26 No. 1

Contents

President’s Column 2

FeaturesAtomic Weights and the International Committee:

A Brief Historical Review by Norman E. Holden 4The Periodic Table of the Elements by Norman Holden and Ty Coplen 8Chinese Terms for Chemical Elements: Characters Combining

Radical and Phonetic Elements by Chang Hao 10

IUPAC WireFECS 2003 Award for Service Presented to Leiv Sydnes 14IACT Gains Associated Organization Status 14

Up for DiscussionQuestionable Stereoformulas of Diastereomers

by Gerd Kaupp and M. Reza Naimi-Jamal 15Response from the IUPAC Chemical Nomenclature and

Structure Representation Division (VIII) by Alan McNaught 16

The Project PlaceXML-Based IUPAC Standard for Experimental and Critically

Evaluated Thermodynamic Property Data Storage and Capture 17

Chemical Thermodynamics for Industry 17Pesticide Science—Harmonization of Data Requirements

and Evaluation 18

Making an imPACtProperties and Units for Transfusion Medicine and

Immunohematology 21Implications of Endocrine Active Substances for Humans

and Wildlife 21

BookwormPhysicochemical Kinetics and Transport at Biointerfaces 24Biodegradable Polymers & Plastics 24Chemicals in Products: Safeguarding the Environment

and Human Health reviewed by John Duffus 25On the Practice of Safety reviewed by John Duffus 26

Conference CallBioinorganic Chemistry by Stephen J. Lippard 27Macromolecules by Jaroslav Kríz 28Spectroscopy by Carmen Cámara and Luis Fermín Capitán-Vallvey 29

Where 2B & Y 31

Mark Your Calendar 36

IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements back cover tear off

A complementarymap/2004 calendar isenclosed with this issue.

2 CHEMISTRY International January-February 2004

Exciting and Challenging Times forChemists and Chemistry

by Leiv K. Sydnes

On a number of occasions since the GeneralAssembly (GA) in August 2003, I have won-dered how ideas discussed in Ottawa to pro-

mote the chemical sciences and serve our societies canbe implemented with maximum effectiveness. I nowrealize that there is more than one answer to the ques-tion because societies are organized very differentlyaround the world and because national and personalpriorities vary considerably. Of course, this has conse-quences for a global organization like ours: IUPAC canmainly be a provider that, to a large extent, has to relyon engaged chemists around the world to reachnational stakeholders in a proper and adequate fashion.

In this perspective, opinions expressed during thediscussion of my Vice President’s Critical Assessmentin Ottawa and input received afterwards have beenmost encouraging: People are willing to serve andbecome engaged in IUPAC activities. Therefore, I feelthat an important task as president will be to act as afacilitator of initiatives and actions aimed at advanc-ing the chemical sciences worldwide and contributingto the application of chemistry in the service ofMankind. As initiatives are required in a number ofareas there should be plenty of opportunity for inter-ested chemists to participate in IUPAC activities. Iwould like to focus on four such areas.

ProjectsFor the very existence of the Union, a most importanttask is to improve our means of generating new, goodprojects that address scientific issues requiring eitherinternational standardization (e.g., nomenclature, ter-minology, and quantities) or evaluation and criticalassessment of quantitative data. In this work, the divi-sions must play an active role under the leadership ofthe division committees. This is in line with what apast president of the Analytical Chemistry Division,Folke Ingman, wrote in the last issue of the division’snewsletter Teamwork <www.iupac.org/divisions/V/Teamwork>: “I believe that the division committeemust take on the responsibility for producing projectideas and nursing them until a task group has beenappointed and a proposal has been put forward.”

Ingman’s emphasis of the divisions’ say in the com-position of task groups is important. It is well docu-

mented, generally speaking, that the countries with thehighest representation in IUPAC governing bodies haveby far the most members in the project task groups. Asstated by a number of participants at the GA, it isimportant to correct this imbalance. This is easier saidthan done, but it is my hope that by improving contactsbetween the divisions and the chemical communities inthe IUPAC member countries—and through the work ofthe Union Advisory Committee and by meeting with theNational Adhering Organizations of membercountries—the geographic base of the task groups willbroaden considerably. Let us be active in our search forqualified volunteers who are willing to serve IUPAC.

ConferencesI also would like to see IUPAC become more visible atconferences and utilize them more effectively to makeour Union better known in the chemical profession; todisseminate recommendations, technical reports, andreports from task groups; and to develop ideas for newprojects. In order to achieve this, IUPAC should, in fact,attach strings to its support of conferences, so that atleast one session during a conference is dedicated todiscussing the need for standardization or criticalassessment of quantitative data, or for exploring if new,exciting scientific topics related to the conferencetheme and beyond, are about to emerge. If such ses-sions were organized skilfully by the appropriate divi-sion(s) they would gradually prepare younger chemiststo develop new materials, devices, and methods forimproving sustainable development and quality of life.

Public AppreciationIn today’s media-sensitive societies, the issues of rating,standing, and reputation are important to consider. Indoing so we realize that the chemical enterprise suffersfrom a dubious public image. Chemicals are too oftenassociated with bad things happening to people andthe environment, and in recent years, with chemicalwarfare. Unfortunately, the daily, positive contributionsfrom chemistry and chemical engineering—to societyand every one of us—are barely publicized, eventhough they are instrumental in feeding us, clothing us,housing us, healing us, and even entertaining us.

A number of industrial and chemical organizationshave tried—on their own—to alter this perception bypresenting a more balanced picture of the benefits andrisks of chemicals. Considering the relatively low returnfrom all of these efforts and expenses, it seems reason-able to ask whether some coordination of the activitywould be beneficial. Secondly, could IUPAC, an organi-

President’s Column

zation with a global reputation of providing authorita-tive and unbiased chemistry information, offer addedvalue and be regarded as more trustworthy in such aneffort. In order to try to answer these and a number ofrelated questions, IUPAC has funded a feasibility studyentitled “Chemistry’s Contributions to Humanity.” Thetask group, chaired by Dr. Edwin D. Przybylowicz, has awide membership, including several chemists involvedin the Committee on Chemistry Education, led by Prof.Peter Atkins. The project description, available at<www.iupac.org/projects/2003/2003-022-1-020.html>, reveals the enormity of the task. Any inputthat will help make the feasibility study more completewill be very much appreciated. Therefore, I urge you toread the project description and supply information toDr. Przybylowicz, any other member of the task group,or the IUPAC secretariat, in due course.

The WebIUPAC is blessed with an outstanding Web site, whichwe hope will become even better and more valuable.One thing that is missing, however, is a complete set oflinks to the homepages of all the chemical societies inthe IUPAC member countries. Such links—frequentlysought by chemists in academia and industry (as well asby representatives at the last GA)—are very useful, butare often hard for individuals to obtain because theymay not know the name of an organization in the lan-guage of the country it represents. I therefore urgeevery reader to check <www.iupac.org/links/> to see ifthe information from his or her country is complete, andif it is incomplete, to encourage the right person(s) inhis or her country to furnish the information to IUPAC.

ContactAs mentioned in the beginning, I regard facilitation tobe an important task for the president of the Union. Inorder to help the chemical community use IUPACmore actively, adequate input is required. Of course afair amount of information comes through the divi-sions and active task groups, but I know that IUPAC’sofficers appreciate constructive comments and ideasfrom individuals who care to write. Such messages aremost welcome, and I therefore challenge you to writeto me <[email protected]> or to any of the otherofficers and present what you have in mind during mypresidential appointment. I am looking forward to afruitful relationship for the benefit of IUPAC!

Leiv K. Sydnes <[email protected]> is the current IUPAC president, a memberof the Norwegian Chemical Society, and professor at the University of Bergen.

2004–2005 Bureau

OfficersProf. Leiv K. Sydnes, Norway

PresidentProf. Bryan R. Henry, Canada

Vice PresidentProf. David StC. Black, Australia

Secretary GeneralDr. Christoph F. Buxtorf, Switzerland

TreasurerProf. Pieter S. Steyn, South Africa

Past President

Elected MembersProf. Chunli Bai, China/BeijingProf. S. Chandrasekaran, IndiaProf. Robert G. Gilbert, AustraliaProf. Werner Klein, GermanyDr. Anders Kallner, SwedenProf. Nicole J. Moreau, FranceProf. Oleg M. Nefedov, RussiaDr. Edwin P. Przybylowicz, United StatesDr. Alan Smith, United KingdomProf. Gus Somsen, Netherlands

Division PresidentsProf. Ron D. Weir, Canada

Physical and Biophysical ChemistryDr. Gerd M. Rosenblatt, United States

Inorganic ChemistryProf. Minoru Isobe, Japan

Organic and Biomolecular ChemistryProf. Robert F. T. Stepto, United Kingdom

MacromolecularProf. H. Kipton J. Powell, New Zealand

Analytical ChemistryDr. Kenneth D. Racke, United States

Chemistry and the EnvironmentProf. Paul W. Erhardt, United States

Chemistry and Human HealthDr. Alan D. McNaught, United Kingdom

Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation

Ex Officio MembersProf. Peter W. Atkins, United Kingdom

Committee on Chemistry EducationDr. John M. Malin, United States

CHEMRAWN CommitteeDr. David A. Evans, United Kingdom

Committee on Chemistry and Industry

3CHEMISTRY International January-February 2004


Just 20 years ago, while completing his chairmanship ofthe IUPAC Commission on Atomic Weights, NormanHolden prepared and published in ChemistryInternational (1984, issue No.1) an early historical reviewof the International Commission on Atomic Weights.Since then, his interest of the topic has not faded, andau contraire, he has now reviewed, extended, andupdated the historical review to a length far beyond thespace available here. The excerpts below are extractedfrom the historical review, which is available online at<www.iupac.org/publ ications/ci/2004/2601/1_holden.html>. The full text is equivalent to about 20pages and includes more than 100 references.

Atomic Weights and theInternational Committee: A Brief Historical Review

by Norman E. Holden

The International Committeeon Atomic Weights (ICAW)has a long and colorful his-

tory dating back for over a cen-tury. Initially, the task was toprovide the chemical communityand trade and commerce with themost accurate atomic weight val-ues for the chemical elements. Forover the past half century, the iso-topic composition of the stable (orvery long-lived) isotopes of thoseelements has taken on a largerrole, until today the atomic weightvalues are determined by mass

weighting the isotopic abundance values. There wasmuch interest in the atomic weight values when theywere considered constants of nature and the buildingblocks of the periodic table and even more now thatthey are known to be variable.

Background

Just two hundred years ago, the English school-teacher, John Dalton, presented the first table ofatomic weight values in a paper entitled On theAbsorption of Gases by Water and Other Liquids. (Thetable was first read on 21 October 1803 to the

Manchester Literacy and Philosophical Society, andthan published in 1805.) Since hydrogen had thesmallest atomic weight value, Dalton chose that ele-ment as his reference scale unit, hydrogen = 1, and hecalculated atomic weights by comparing weights ofother atoms with that of hydrogen. Values given inthe table indicate that Dalton grasped the ideas ofconstant composition in compounds and of multipleproportions. However, he did not account for thevalence of each element in the compound. Dalton’slater tables, published in 1808 and 1810, show amarked improvement in accuracy but the values arestill difficult to recognize because of these errors invalence (i.e., some equivalent weights [atomicweight/valence] are quoted rather than atomicweights).

By the end of the nineteenth century, atomicweight had taken on the concept of a constant ofnature like the speed of light, but the lack of agree-ment on accepted values created difficulties in trade.All parties were not translating quantities measuredby chemical analysis into weights in the same way.With so many different values being reported, theAmerican Chemical Society (ACS), in 1892, appointeda permanent committee to report on a standard tableof atomic weights for acceptance by the Society.Frank W. Clarke, who had been appointed a commit-tee of one, presented his first report at the 1893annual meeting.

In 1897, the Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaftappointed a working committee to report on atomicweights. The committee, chaired by Hans Landolt(Berlin), published its first report in 1898. In contrastto Clarke, who presented a review of every atomicweight value published during the year along with hisrecommended values, the German committee merelygave the table with its estimated best value for eachelement. The committee argued for the adoption ofthe O = 16 scale and invited other chemistry organiza-tions to appoint delegates to an international body.The resulting International Committee on AtomicWeights (ICAW) began with 57 chemists. The com-mittee’s first report, published in 1901, was a table onthe O = 16 scale, which appeared as a flyleaf in issue 1of the Chemische Berichte in 1902.

The ICAW soon decided to elect a smaller commit-tee of three members to avoid the difficulties anddelays of corresponding among a large group. Thetop three vote getters, Clarke, Karl Seuber, andThomas Edward Thorpe, were elected. This commit-

Norman E. Holden, whenchairman of the commis-sion from 1979-1983.

Atomic Weights

tee reported annually (except for 1918) until 1921. In1913, the committee became formally affiliated withthe International Association of Chemical Societies(IACS), which had been formed two years earlier. TheICAW was charged with publishing an updated Tableof Atomic Weights every year. Although the IACS wasformally dissolved in 1919, the ICAW continued topublish its annual tables until 1922.

In 1918, a conference of scientists from allied (coun-tries at war with the Central Powers) scientific acade-mies withdrew from the IACS and formed theInternational Research Council (IRC). A year later, atthe Inter-allied Chemical Conference in London, theallied chemical societies of Belgium, England, France,Italy, and the United States formed the InternationalUnion of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), whichwould function—with autonomous powers—as thechemical section of the IRC.

At the first IUPAC conference, held in 1920 inRome, the IUPAC Council met and established a seriesof committees: one on atomic weights, one on tablesof constants, and one on patents, as well as anInstitute of Chemical Standards. The councilrequested that the old ICAW be asked to continue itswork. In 1921, the committee on atomic weights wasreorganized, enlarged, and renamed the Committeeon Chemical Elements. This committee, in addition toproviding atomic weight values, was also asked tocover the discovery of isotopes in radioactive andnon-radioactive elements. Tables of radioactive ele-ments and their principal constants, a table of iso-topes, and a table of atomic weights were to beprepared.

At a meeting in Paris in 1922, the Committee onChemical Elements voted to publish the table of iso-

topes and of radioactive elementsthe following year and to continuethe old committee’s table of1921–1922 if a new general table ofatomic weights could not be com-pleted in time. The committee pub-lished a completely revised atomicweight table in 1925, but did notrevise the table again until after 1930.In 1928, after being criticized for fail-ing to publish an annual table ofatomic weights for many years, the

committee was reorganized into three separate com-mittees: one dealing with atomic weights, one withatoms, and one with radioactive constants.

The Atomic Weights ScaleThe atomic weights scale of H = 1 was originally usedby Dalton and (except for Berzelius’ time) had beenused for approximately 100 years when the ACS andthe German committees began reporting their tables.Lothar Meyer (one of the first developers of the peri-odic table) and Seubert had published on the hydro-gen scale, but Wilhelm Ostwald (a member of theGerman committee who later won the Nobel Prize forchemistry for catalysis) and Bohuslav Brauner (mem-ber of the Committee on Chemical Elements) stronglyurged the adoption of the O = 16 scale. Clarkereported his table on both scales, while the Germancommittee used the O = 16 scale exclusively andargued for its adoption. As a result of a vote within theGerman Committee in 1899, the first internationaltable was published on the O = 16 scale. However,after vigorous protests from certain parties, doubtwas expressed as to whether a majority opinion couldever be accepted as final in such theoretical matters.As a result, the smaller ICAW continued publishing theannual tables on both scales until a consensus couldbe reached.

Beginning with the 1906 report, however, the ICAWused the O = 16 scale following a new survey of thelarger committee. Thus, the scale was settled for some30 years, except for a brief discussion in 1920 ongoing back to the hydrogen scale. Beginning in the1930s, when the neutron was discovered and thestructure of nuclei was accepted to be a combinationof protons and neutrons, H = 1 became a near impos-sible choice as a reference for atomic weights. Theatomic number of heavy elements would not repre-sent the number of nuclides in the nucleus in an H = 1scale.

In 1929, the discovery of the two oxygen isotopes,17O and 18O by Giauque and Johnston led to a situationin which the chemist’s scale of O = 16 differed from thephysicist’s scale of 16O = 16. When Dole reported thevariation in oxygen’s atomic weight value in waterversus air, this implied a variation in the isotopic com-position of oxygen and the two scales took on a smallbut a variable difference. The ICAW briefly discussedthe atomic weight standard in their 1932 report, wherethey considered 1H = 1, 4He = 4, 16O = 16 and O = 16before choosing to follow Aston, who argued that thetwo scales satisfied everyone’s requirement.

The variable scale difference was of great concernto Edward Wichers (president of ICAW beginning in1949) and for a number of years he attempted to have


Frank W. Clarke

Go online for full text and references.

Atomic Weights and the International Commitee


the ICAW fix the difference between the two scalesby definition. This would effectively define the iso-topic composition of oxygen to be a particular valuein nature. Failing with this solution, he solicited pro-posals for an alternate scale that would be acceptableto both the physics community as well as to thechemists worldwide.

In April 1957, AlfredNier suggested to JosefMattauch (both weremembers of ICAW) thatthe 12C = 12 mass scalebe adopted because ofcarbon’s use as a sec-ondary standard inmass spectrometry.Also, 12C = 12 impliedacceptable relative changes in the atomic weightscale, (i.e., 42 parts-per-million [ppm] compared to275 ppm for the 16O = 16 scale [which would not beacceptable to chemists]). Enthusiastically, Mattauchmade a worldwide effort in the late 1950s to publicizethe 12C = 12 scale and obtain the physicist’s approval,while Wichers obtained the chemist’s approval.

Following the approval of the International Unionof Pure and Applied Physics General Assembly inOttawa, Canada, in 1960 and the IUPAC GeneralAssembly at Montreal, Canada, in 1961, the atomicweights were officially given on the 12C = 12 scale forthe first time in the 1961 report. Mattauch and his col-leagues combined data on direct nuclidic mass meas-urements with data on measured binding energiesand beta decay energies derived from the masses toproduce a consistent least squares fit of all nuclidicmasses. This mass data was combined with the iso-topic compositions to provide atomic weight valuesused in that 1961 Atomic Weights report.

Expanded Topics for theCommission

In the years between when the mass scale changeoccurred and 1969, there were relatively few changesin the atomic weights table. In the 1969 report, a tableof radioactive isotopes with half-life values and atable of atomic masses of selected isotopes wereincluded, and definitions of terms of atomic weight,isotope, nuclide, and normal material were intro-duced. These definitions led to an interdivisional fight

within IUPAC with various terminology committeesabout these terms, not the least of which was “atomicweights” itself. The various discussions that followedwould continue over a decade until the IUPACGeneral Assembly at Davos, Switzerland, in 1979.

The fallout from the terminology wars was dis-cussed in the commis-sion’s meetings at boththe 1971 IUPACWashington, D.C.,General Assembly andthe 1973 IUPACMunich, FRG, GeneralAssembly. In the 1971report, there was a dis-cussion as well as agraph of the relative

precision of the atomic weight values of all elementsacross the periodic table. The two tables of half-lifevalues and atomic masses from the 1969 report werecombined into a single table in the 1971 report.

With the increased importance of the isotopicabundance measurements in the determination of theatomic weights, the commission’s name was changedat the 1979 IUPAC General Assembly in Davos,Switzerland, to Commission on Atomic Weights andIsotopic Abundances. A new definition of atomicweight was presented, which indicated that atomicweights could be defined for a sample. Tables of stan-dard atomic weights published by the commissionreferred to best knowledge of the elements in naturalterrestrial sources (this is still the case today). Atomicweight (mean relative atomic mass) of an elementfrom a specified source was defined as “the ratio ofthe average mass per atom of the element to 1/12 ofthe mass of an atom of 12C.” From this point on, thecommission presented the most accurate availablevalues for those who needed to use them, but theconcept of accuracy implies the existence of a truevalue and the definition doesn’t recognize the exis-tence of one true value for every element.

The Growing Importance of Isotopic Compositions

For the 1981 IUPAC General Assembly in Leuven,Belgium, the Commission decided to publish its reportin Pure and Applied Chemistry in two separate partsfor the first time (i.e., the Atomic Weights of the

Edward Wichers Alfred Nier Josef Mattauch

A Brief Historical Review


Elements, 1981 and the Isotopic Compositions of theElements, 1981).

At the 1983 IUPAC General Assembly in Lyngby,Denmark, the Commission changed its method forexpressing uncertainties in atomic weight values.Previously these uncertainties were restricted to oneof two values, (i.e., either ± 1 or ± 3). Beginning withthe 1983 report, these uncertainties could now take onany digit from ± 1 up to ± 9. Another change with the1983 report dealt with the treatment of elements withno stable isotopes. For radioactive elements with nounique naturally occurring isotopic composition fromwhich an atomic weight could be calculated with fiveor more figure accuracy without prior knowledge ofthe sample, the concept of a standard atomic weighthas little meaning. So scientists dealing with non-ter-restrial samples were warned to exercise cautionwhen the isotopic composition or atomic weight of anon-terrestrial sample was required.

At the 1999 IUPAC General Assembly in Berlin,Germany, the Working Party on Non-terrestrial Datareported on the processes explaining isotopic varia-tions and provided a table of anomalous isotopiccompositions in extra-terrestrial materials due todecay of radioisotopes.

More recently, at the 2001 IUPAC GeneralAssembly in Brisbane, Australia, the commissionemphasized the great importance of the isotopicabundance values as the sole source (along with theatomic mass values of the stable isotopes) for deter-mining atomic weight values for the elements. Thecommission once more changed its name to theCommission on Isotopic Abundances and AtomicWeights (CIAAW). At the conclusion of the BrisbaneGeneral Assembly, changes to the IUPAC bylaws andstatutes resulted in the termination of all commis-sions, but after discussions, the IUPAC Councilapproved the reestablishment of the CIAAW.

Normally in the period between IUPAC GeneralAssemblies, the members of the commission and thevarious subcommittees perform the literature searchfor data from the journal and document sources andan initial assessment of the results and impact on thedatabase. In the period after the Brisbane GeneralAssembly, it was determined that although IUPACapproved continuation of the commission, it was to bewithout commission funding. It had been concludedthat without adequate funding, there would be nocommission meeting in 2003. This thinking continued

for more than one and one half years, until the presi-dent of the IUPAC Inorganic Chemistry Division, GerdRosenblatt, made funds available to bring together allmembers of the commission and subcommittees inOttawa to discuss the future course of the commission.

As a result of the above confusion, no preparatorywork for the scientific agenda had been done to ana-lyze the data and recommend updated values for theTable of the Standard Atomic Weights. At the 2003IUPAC General Assembly in Ottawa, Canada, the com-mission chose not to publish a report on AtomicWeights for 2003 (for the first time in almost 40years). The commission and the subcommittees dis-cussed the future work of these bodies and a mecha-nism for the funding for continued operation eitherwithin IUPAC or outside of the IUPAC framework.Tiping Ding (Chinese Academy of GeologicalSciences, Beijing, China) was elected chairman toreplace Philip Taylor and Michael Wieser (Universityof Calgary, Alberta, Canada) was elected secretary toreplace Robert Loss at the conclusion of the meeting.

One atomic weights publication that did appear in apre-print form at the time of the Ottawa GeneralAssembly was another element-by-element reviewcalled EXER-2000. This 115-page document had beenthe result of the six-year effort by the members of the1997 working party and it was written in a similar man-ner to the earlier Subcommittee on the Assessment ofIsotopic Composition review.

Norman Holden <[email protected]> has been involved with IUPAC for over 30

years and is today a titular member on the Inorganic Chemistry Division. Since

1974, he has been at the National Nuclear Data Center of the Brookhaven National

Laboratory, in Upton, New York, USA.

NH thanks the many members of the Atomic WeightsCommission, who took time to provide comments onthe review including, Tyler Coplen, Paul De Bievre,John De Laeter, Norman Greenwood, Steffen Peiserand Etienne Roth. This research was carried out underthe auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy,Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886.

The full version of this historical review, whichincludes sections on Uncertainties andAnnotations and The Naming of Natural andSynthetic Elements, is available at

www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2004/2601/1_holden.html


The president of the Inorganic Chemistry Division,Gerd Rosenblatt, recognizing that the periodic tableof the elements found in the “Red Book”(Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry, published in1985) needed some updating—particularly elementsabove 103, including element 110 (darmstadtium)—made a formal request to Norman Holden and TylerCoplen to prepare an updated table. This table can befound below, on the IUPAC Web site, and as a tear-offon the inside back cover of this issue.

by Norman Holden and Ty Coplen

The Russian chemist Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleevconstructed his original periodic table in 1869using as its organizing principle his formulation

of the periodic law: if the chemical elements arearranged in the ascending order of their atomicweights, then at certain regular intervals (periods)elements occur having similar chemical and physicalproperties.

Mendeleev sensed that chemical behavior was morefundamental than atomic weight and left empty spacesin his table when chemical propertiesdid not fit. He predicted that these miss-ing elements would be discovered withappropriate atomic weight values andhaving the required properties. Whengallium, scandium, and germanium werediscovered over the next 15 years withthe properties that Mendeleev pre-dicted, the scientific world began totake his periodic table seriously.

In 1913, the English physicist HenryGwyn Jeffreys Moseley compared theenergy of the X-ray spectral lines of var-ious elements against their atomicweight. He obtained an approximatestraight-line graph. To avoid breaks inthis graph, he found it necessary toplace elements in the order demandedby the chemical properties rather thanincreasing atomic weight. Moseley’scurve of X-ray lines indicated that everyelement has a constant value, its ordinalor atomic number, that increases by aconstant amount from element to ele-ment. In 1920, Chadwick showed that the

atomic number was the same as the number of protonsin each element.

A problem for Mendeleev’s table was the position-ing of the rare earth or lanthanoid* elements. Theseelements had properties and atomic weight valuessimilar to one another but that did not follow the reg-ularities of the table. Eventually, they were placed in aseparate area below the main table.

The Danish physicist Niels Henrik David Bohr pro-posed his electronic orbital structure of the atom in1921, which explained the problem of the rare earthelements. The electrons in the outermost and thepenultimate orbits are called valence electrons sincegenerally their actions account for the valence of theelement (i.e., electrons capable of taking part in thelinks between atoms). Chemical behavior of an ele-ment depends on its valence electrons, so that whenonly inner orbit electrons are changing from one ele-ment to another, there is not much difference in thechemical properties between the elements.

The elements from actinium through uranium (alongwith neptunium through curium when they were firstsynthesized) were originally placed with the main tableelements, in spite of problems with their chemicalproperties. In 1946, the American chemist Glenn

The Periodic Table of the Elements

For a printable version of this table, see <www.iupac.org/reports/periodic_table/>.

A tear-off copy is attached to the backcover of this issue of CI.

1

Hhydrogen1.007 94(7)

1

3

Lilithium6.941(2)

4

Beberyllium

9.012 182(3)

11

Nasodium

22.989 770(2)

12

Mgmagnesium

24.3050(6)

19

Kpotassium39.0983(1)

20

Cacalcium40.078(4)

37

Rbrubidium85.4678(3)

38

Srstrontium

87.62(1)

55

Cscaesium

132.905 45(2)

56

Babarium

137.327(7)

87

Frfrancium[223.0197]

88

Raradium

[226.0254]

22

Tititanium47.867(1)

40

Zrzirconium91.224(2)

72

Hfhafnium178.49(2)

104

Rfrutherfordium

[261.1088]

23

Vvanadium50.9415(1)

41

Nbniobium

92.906 38(2)

73

Tatantalum

180.9479(1)

105

Dbdubnium[262.1141]

24

Crchromium51.9961(6)

42

Momolybdenum

95.94(2)

74

Wtungsten183.84(1)

106

Sgseaborgium

[266.1219]

25

Mnmanganese54.938 049(9)

43

Tctechnetium

[97.9072]

75

Rerhenium186.207(1)

107

Bhbohrium[264.12]

26

Feiron

55.845(2)

44

Ruruthenium101.07(2)

76

Ososmium190.23(3)

108

Hshassium

[277]

27

Cocobalt

58.933 200(9)

45

Rhrhodium

102.905 50(2)

77

Iriridium

192.217(3)

109

Mtmeitnerium

[268.1388]

28

Ninickel

58.6934(2)

46

Pdpalladium106.42(1)

78

Ptplatinum195.078(2)

110

Dsdarmstadtium

[271]

29

Cucopper

63.546(3)

47

Agsilver

107.8682(2)

79

Augold

196.966 55(2)

30

Znzinc

65.409(4)

48

Cdcadmium112.411(8)

80

Hgmercury200.59(2)

111

Uuuunununium

[272]

57

Lalanthanum138.9055(2)

89

Acactinium[227.0277]

58

Cecerium

140.116(1)

90

Ththorium

232.0381(1)

59

Prpraseodymium

140.907 65(2)

91

Paprotactinium231.035 88(2)

60

Ndneodymium

144.24(3)

92

Uuranium

238.028 91(3)

61

Pmpromethium

[144.9127]

93

Npneptunium[237.0482]

62

Smsamarium150.36(3)

94

Puplutonium[244.0642]

63

Eueuropium151.964(1)

95

Amamericium[243.0614]

64

Gdgadolinium

157.25(3)

96

Cmcurium

[247.0704]

65

Tbterbium

158.925 34(2)

97

Bkberkelium[247.0703]

66

Dydysprosium

162.500(1)

98

Cfcalifornium[251.0796]

21

Scscandium

44.955 910(8)

39

Yyttrium

88.905 85(2)

57-71

lanthanoids

89-103

actinoids

atomic number

Symbolstandard atomic weight

2 Key:

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

name


Theodore Seaborg suggested that these elementsformed an actinoid group similar to the lanthanoid.Lawrencium completed the actinoid series and element104 was placed in the seventh row of the main table.

There were conflicting claims of who first synthe-sized element 104 and the next few elements of thetable for almost a quarter century. During this longimpasse, Joseph Chatt (of IUPAC’s InorganicChemistry Division) suggested the use of a Greco-Roman naming scheme to provide a provisional IUPACname with a three letter symbol (e.g., element 111would have the name unununium with a symbol Uuu).Eventually, a joint working party from IUPAC and fromthe International Union of Pure and Applied Physics(IUPAP) was formed to review the scientific data forelements 104 through 109 and to resolve the impasse.The joint IUPAC/IUPAP working party decided to con-tinue resolving the problem of determining the firstsynthesizer for future elements. The group determinedthat element 110 was initially made by the Germangroup at the Heavy Ion facility in Darmstadt, Germany.The Germans suggested the name darmstadtium withthe symbol Ds, which are now accepted both byIUPAC and IUPAP.

In keeping with the traditional use of atomic weightvalues in the peri-odic table, the lat-est (2001) IUPACapproved StandardAtomic Weight val-ues are listed on thetable with theuncertainty in thelast figure shown inparentheses. Thesevalues are takenfrom table 1 of the“Atomic Weights ofthe Elements 2001”(IUPAC technicalreport, Pure Appl.Chem. 7755, 1107–1122[2003]). For ele-ments without sta-ble nuclides orlong-lived nuclideswith normal terres-trial abundances ofthose nuclides, theatomic weights

report provides table 3 with either the atomic mass or,when that parameter is unknown, merely the atomicmass number (number of protons and neutrons in thenucleus) of the most stable nuclide of that element(i.e., the nuclide having the longest half-life). Thisvalue from table 3 of the report is shown on the peri-odic table in square brackets for many of the ele-ments, including all elements above uranium. Thus,element 100 is listed as “[257.0951].” Otherwise, themass number of the longest lived nuclide is listed,such as [277] for hassium. One element deserves aspecial comment in this regard. Element 110, darm-stadtium (Ds), is listed in table 3 of the report [281].Because the half-life of 1.6 min for 281Ds was deter-mined from only a single decay, it was decidedinstead to give in the periodic table the mass numberof a nuclide that has the longest half-life and that con-firms the discovery of Ds. This is 271Ds; thus, [271] islisted for element 110.

Element 111 has also been acknowledged by the jointIUPAC/IUPAP working party to have first been synthe-sized by the same German group at Darmstadt, but aname has not yet been suggested. It is shown on thetable with its IUPAC provisional name and symbol “Uuu.”The elements with atomic numbers 112, 114, and 116 havebeen reported in the scientific literature, but have notyet been authenticated by the IUPAC/IUPAP workingparty, so they do not yet merit a place in the table.

Finally, for American readers, it is noted that alter-nate English language spellings for the names of alu-minum and cesium are used in the USA and do notconstitute erroneous spellings.

*The 1985 “Red Book” (p. 45) indicates that the following col-

lective names for groups of atoms are IUPAC-approved: acti-

noids or actinides, lanthanoids or lanthanides. The note that

accompanied that statement explained that although actinoid

means “like actinium” and so should not include actinium,

actinium has become common usage. Similarly, lanthanoid.

The ending “-ide” normally indicates a negatives ion, and

therefore “lanthanoid” and “actinoid” are preferred to “lan-

thanide” and “actinide.” However, owing to wide current use,

“lanthanide” and “actinide” are still allowed.

Norman Holden <[email protected]> and Ty Coplen <[email protected]> are

members of the IUPAC Inorganic Chemistry Division. NH is at the National Nuclear

Data Center of the Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, New York, and TC is

with the U.S. Geological Survey, in Reston, Virginia, USA.

www.iupac.org/general/FAQs/elements.html

18

5

Bboron

10.811(7)

13

Alaluminium

26.981 538(2)

31

Gagallium69.723(1)

49

Inindium

114.818(3)

81

Tlthallium

204.3833(2)

6

Ccarbon

12.0107(8)

14

Sisilicon

28.0855(3)

32

Gegermanium

72.64(1)

50

Sntin

118.710(7)

82

Pblead

207.2(1)

7

Nnitrogen14.0067(2)

15

Pphosphorus30.973 761(2)

33

Asarsenic

74.921 60(2)

51

Sbantimony121.760(1)

83

Bibismuth

208.980 38(2)

8

Ooxygen

15.9994(3)

16

Ssulfur

32.065(5)

34

Seselenium78.96(3)

52

Tetellurium127.60(3)

84

Popolonium[208.9824]

9

Ffluorine

18.998 4032(5)

17

Clchlorine35.453(2)

35

Brbromine79.904(1)

53

Iiodine

126.904 47(3)

85

Atastatine[209.9871]

10

Neneon

20.1797(6)

2

Hehelium

4.002 602(2)

18

Arargon

39.948(1)

36

Krkrypton83.798(2)

54

Xexenon

131.293(6)

86

Rnradon

[222.0176]

67

Hoholmium

164.930 32(2)

99

Eseinsteinium

[252.0830]

68

Ererbium

167.259(3)

100

Fmfermium[257.0951]

69

Tmthulium

168.934 21(2)

101

Mdmendelevium

[258.0984]

70

Ybytterbium173.04(3)

102

Nonobelium[259.1010]

71

Lulutetium

174.967(1)

103

Lrlawrencium

[262.1097]

13 14 15 16 17


Characters Combining Radical andPhonetic Elements

by Chang Hao

When a chemical element is translated intoChinese, the character usually contains aradical that indicates the physical proper-

ties of the element according to the Chinese philoso-phy of nature. This idea dates back to the year 1871.For example, the term argon was translated into yawith an air-radical, barium into bei with a metal-radi-cal, and so on.

The Chinese language has very little in commonwith European languages. When the nineteenth-cen-tury Chinese translated chemical elements that hadbeen named after countries, places, their form, ortheir distinctive properties, tremendous effort wasrequired to create a whole nomenclature fromscratch.

The modern concept of a chemical element as a“substance that cannot be split up by any knownmeans into something simpler” did not exist in tradi-tional Chinese natural philosophy. When the conceptof the four elements was introduced into China in thelate Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the translation yuanx-ing (original-phase) for the term “element” was influ-enced by the theory of the five phases. There are fivexing (phases) in China, namely, metal, wood, water,fire, and earth, which have an interdependent cyclicrelationship. In the Chinese view of nature, fire repre-sents not only the real fire, but also the substancesbearing characteristics of fire. Although there weredifferent Chinese translations for “element” in thenineteenth-century, those terms are mostly forgottennowadays. Only the word yuansu (original-element),which is derived from the Japanese language and wasintroduced into China after the Sino-Japanese war(1894–95), is still in use today.

Although the introduction of modern Westernchemistry into China began in the middle of the nine-

teenth century, a large number of theories were nottranslated into Chinese until the 1870s. The translationof the elements was one of the earliest problems,especially when it came to explaining the reaction ofsubstances. The use of traditional, already existingChinese names was in the beginning considered anadvantage. However, only a few terms could be usedfor the new elements. There weren’t many chemists innineteenth-century China, so translating chemicalterms was a big problem. Most translators were notexperts and they didn’t know anything about thechemical properties of an element, which often madetheir translations misleading. Others just put the pro-nunciation of the English terms into Chinese charac-ters, a method that was temporarily accepted, but theresulting words didn’t sound very Chinese and could-n’t convey any real information about the element towhich they pointed.

In 1871, John Fryer (1839–1928) and his Chinese col-league Xu Shou (1818–1884), both of them working forthe translation office of the Jiangnan Arsenal, createda principle for the translation of chemical elementsaccording to whichone Chinese charac-ter was to beassigned to eachelement. The impactof their translationson the fields ofchemistry andchemical engineering proved to be enormous. InHuaxue Jianyuan (Mirror of Chemical Science), themost influential textbook on chemistry in nineteenth-century China, Fryer and Xu explained their ideas onthe translation of the elements. Traditional terms forelements like gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, mer-cury, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon remainedunchanged. If they considered an existing term for anelement suitable (examples are oxygen, hydrogen,and nitrogen), it was retained as well. They would nottranslate according to the mere meaning of a term,because this was often hard to determine. For the

Chinese Terms for Chemical Elements

Chinese characters for some of the elements.

The impact of Fryer andXu’s translations on thefields of chemistry and

chemical engineeringproved to be enormous.

other elements, they created new characters. Theirmethod consisted of translating the pronunciation ofthe first syllable of the original term. If this was notsuitable, they translated the second syllable, and com-bined it with the radical in order to indicate the prop-erties of the element. The character’spronunciation could then be ascertainedby looking at the phonetic part. Fryerand Xu emphasized that they would notdirectly translate the sound of theWestern terms. These long rows ofChinese characters were purely ono-matopoetic and were not only a greatburden to read, write, or remember, butthey had no meaning whatsoever.

Except for 9 Chinese traditional termsand 5 accepted translations, Fryer andXu invented 50 of the 64 characters forchemical elements. Forty-eight of themwere composed of a root and the soundof one syllable of the original Englishterm. Fryer and Xu’s method was a con-siderable challenge to their contempo-raries. Using traditional names was thepreferred translation method of thetime, since these terms were easilyaccepted by the Chinese. For example,the terms for aluminum, arsenic, boron,calcium, potassium, silicon, and sodiumhad been translated by others using tra-ditional Chinese names or other alreadyestablished terms.

Fryer found both the use of estab-lished terms or invented characters difficult. He oncedescribed his decision on the translation method asbeing a choice between “two evils.” Philologists wouldcriticize the “incorrect” use of traditional terms and onthe other hand, Chinese patriotswould condemn the use of termsthat too clearly derived fromproducts of Western science. Inorder to avoid such misunder-standings, Fryer chose to inventnew characters that hadn’t existed in any Chinese dic-tionary. However, the disadvantage of such inventedcharacters was that they were not officially author-ized and therefore not easily accepted.

However, Fryer and Xu’s principle of character cre-ation was soon widely accepted by their contempo-rary translators. But many of their phonetic-basedterms were also criticized. Many Chinese found Fryerand Xu’s terms awkward, and the missionary transla-

tors considered them inconvenient. In The RevisedList of Chemical Elements, most terms were translatedas descriptive names. This list of elements was pub-lished in 1898 and was the first achievement of the

Educational Association of China,which strived to create a Chinesescientific terminology. In determin-ing these names, the Committee onthe Nomenclature of theEducational Association stated its

conviction that the terms should tell something aboutthe properties of an element rather than imitate itsoriginal pronunciation. Only in the early twentiethcentury did Fryer’s phonetic names eventually gain


. . . Fryer and Xu invented50 of the 64 charactersfor chemical elements.

One Chinese character is assigned to each element; this is a compound char-acter in two parts: (1) a root radical, classifying the element as of the"metal," "air," "stone," or "water" groups: (2) a single descriptive word or animitation of the sound of one syllable in the English name of the element.

Root radical with original

meaning Combinations using

root classifiers

metal calcium lithium nickel palladium

air (gas) oxygen hydrogen nitrogen fluorine

stone (metalloid)

arsenic boron iodine silicon

water(liquid) mercury

Chinese Terms for Chemical Elements


acceptance. Fryer himself had predicted that it wouldtake a while for his creations to become widelyaccepted.

In 1915, the Ministry of Education published a list ofthe names of elements based on Fryer and Xu’s terms.Two years later, the General Committee on ScientificTerminology, which was appointed by the ChineseGovernment to translate scientific terminology,adopted most of their names for the chemical elements.

During the process of unifying the Chinese chemi-cal nomenclature, the cooperation between theNational Institute for Compilation and Translation andthe Chinese Chemical Society played a significantrole. The Institute was established in 1932 with thetask of unifying school textbooks and scientific termi-nology. The same year, the Ministry of Educationorganized a chemistry forum where issues regarding

the translation ofchemical terms,chemistry educa-tion, and chemi-cal engineeringin the militarywere discussed.One result of theforum was theestablishment ofthe Chinese

Chemical Society. The chemical terms that wereagreed upon in the forum laid the foundation for acommonly accepted terminology. One year later, theNational Institute for Compilation and Translationpublished Principle of the Chemical Nomenclature inwhich the names of chemical elements were stan-dardized. Most of the chemical terms are still in usetoday. The value of Fryer and Xu’s work had finallybeen recognized.

Today in Taiwan, the Nomenclature Committee ofthe Chinese Chemical Society is appointed by theMinistry of Education to draw up a standard list ofchemical terms in Chinese. For example, darm-stadtium (Ds), element 110, has been translated as daaccording to the first sound of its term.

Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen

Apart from studying the historical development of thetranslation of chemical elements, the Chinese namesfor oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are also worth

investigating. Since their first translations in 1855, theterms yangqi (nourishing gas), qingqi (light gas), anddanqi (diluting gas)—oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen,respectively—had been applied by Fryer and Xu andbecame widely accepted in the nineteenth century.During that time, yang (nourishing), qing (light), anddan (diluting) were considered more suitable andmore elegant than the translations derived from theGerman terms sauerstoff, wasserstoff, and stickstoff.In the twentieth century, many Chinese scholarsthought that yang, qing, and dan were also more suit-able than the Japanese terms sanso (acid element),suiso (water element), and sasso (lethal element),which also derived from the Germano-Dutch nomen-clature. The historical record of the translations ofthese three elements shows that Lavoisier’s chemicaltheories and nomenclature were never fully acceptedin China. It also demonstrates the extreme difficultiesthe Chinese encountered trying to understandWestern chemistry.

In its ancient past, China’s chemistry was basicallyalchemy, and only a few names for new elementscould be taken from the alchemical vocabulary. TheChinese naturally preferred descriptive terms when-ever possible, but there are only five such terms. Manynew terms for chemical elements have become a nat-ural part of the Chinese language, which today provesto be more open toward importing new ideas andconcepts. And the work of Fryer and Xu is still bear-ing fruit: The 44 terms they conceived continue to bein use today.

ReferencesChang, Hao. “Fu lanya di huaxue fanyi yuanze he linian” [Fryer’s

Principles and Ideas in Translation of Chemical

Terminologies], Zhongguo keji shiliao [China Historical

Materials of Science and Technology], 21.4(2000): 297–306.

Chang, Hao. “Zai chuantong yu chuangxin zhijian: shijiou shiji

di zhongwen huaxue yuansu mingci” [Between Tradition

and Invention: The Chinese Terms of the Chemical

Elements in the Nineteenth Century], Huaxue

[Chemistry], 59.1(2001): 51–59.

Chang, Hao. “Yang qing dan di fanyi: 1896–1944” [The

Chinese Translations of Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen:

1896-1944], Ziran kexueshi yanjiou [Studies in the History

of Natural Science], 21.2(2002): 123–134.

Wang, Yangzong. “Guanyu Huaxue jianyuan he Huaxue chujie”

[On Mirror of chemical science: A Source-book and First

steps in Chemistry], Zhongguo keji shiliao [China Historical

The historical record ofthe translations . . .demonstrates theextreme difficulties theChinese encounteredtrying to understandWestern chemistry.


Materials of Science and Technology],

11.1(1990): 84-88.

Wright, David. “The Great Desideratum

Chinese Chemical Nomenclature and the

Transmission of Western Chemical

Concepts.” Chinese Science, 14 (1997):

35-70.

Chang Hao <[email protected]> is at the Center for

General Education of the Fortune Institute of Technology in

Taiwan.

Pronunciation Guide

In Chinese, different characters areoften pronounced the same way. Eventhough the four tones serve as a meansof distinction, the Chinese usually distin-guish the characters by their forms. Inthe table of chemical elements 12 termsderive from traditional names: carbon,sulfur, iron, copper, silver, tin, gold, mer-cury, lead, boron, phosphorus, and plat-inum. A number of terms carry a “gas”radical: hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, flu-orine, chlorine, helium, neon, argon,krypton, xenon, and radon. Other termshave an “earth” radical: carbon, boron,silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, arsenic, sele-nium, tellurium, iodine, and astatine. The“water” radical was attributed to the fol-lowing elements: bromine, mercury. Therest of the elements have a “metal” rad-ical. The second part of the characters isphonetic and provides a hint to the pro-nunciation of the term.

Atomic number Element P

ron

un

cia

tio

n

of

the c

hara

cte

r

Atomic number Element P

ron

un

cia

tio

n

of

the c

hara

cte

r

1 Hydrogen qing 56 Barium bei 2 Helium hai 57 Lanthanum lan 3 Lithium li 58 Cerium shi 4 Beryllium pi 59 Praseodymium pu 5 Boron peng 60 Neodymium nyu 6 Carbon Tan 61 Promethium po 7 Nitrogen dan 62 Samarium shan 8 Oxygen yang 63 Europium you 9 Fluorine fu 64 Gadolinium ga 10 Neon nai 65 Terbium te 11 Sodium na 66 Dysprosium di 12 Magnesium mei 67 Holmium huo 13 Aluminium lyu 68 Erbium er 14 Silicon Xi 69 Thulium diou 15 Phosphorus lin 70 Ytterbium yi 16 Sulphur liu 71 Lutetium liu 17 Chlorine lyu 72 Hafnium ha 18 Argon ya 73 Tantalum tan 19 Potassium jia 74 Tungsten wu 20 Calcium gai 75 Rhenium lai 21 Scandium kang 76 Osmium er 22 Titanium tai 77 Iridium yi 23 Vanadium fan 78 Platinum bo 24 Chromium ge 79 Gold jin 25 Manganese meng 80 Mercury gong 26 Iron tie 81 Thallium ta 27 Cobalt gu 82 Lead qian 28 Nickel nie 83 Bismuth bi 29 Copper tong 84 Polonium pu 30 Zinc xin 85 Astatine e 31 Gallium jia 86 Radon dong 32 Germanium zhe 87 Francium fa 33 Arsenic shen 88 Radium lei 34 Selenium xi 89 Actinium a 35 Bromine chou 90 Thorium tu 36 Krypton ke 91 Protactinium pu 37 Rubidium ru 92 Uranium you 38 Strontium si 93 Neptunium nei 39 Yttrium yi 94 Plutonium bu 40 Zirconium gao 95 Americium mei 41 Niobium ni 96 Curium ju 42 Molybdenum mu 97 Berkelium bei 43 Technetium ta 98 Californium ka 44 Ruthenium liao 99 Einsteinium ai 45 Rhodium lao 100 Fermium fei 46 Palladium ba 101 Mendelevium men 47 Silver yin 102 Nobelium nuo 48 Cadmium ge 103 Lawrencium lao 49 Indium yin 104 Rutherfordium lu 50 Tin xi 105 Dubnium du 51 Antimony ti 106 Seaborgium xi 52 Tellurium di 107 Bohrium po 53 Iodine dian 108 Hassium hei 54 Xenon shan 109 Meitnerium mai 55 Caesium se 110 Darmstadtium da


IUPAC WireNews and information on IUPAC, its fellows, and memberorganizations.See also www.iupac.org/news

FECS 2003 Award for ServicePresented to Leiv Sydnes

The FECS—Federation of European ChemicalSocieties and Professional Institutions—Awardfor Service was presented to IUPAC President

Leiv Sydnes of the Norwegian Chemical Society, inrecognition of his significant contribution toEuropean cooperation in chemistry and the publicappreciation of chemistry. The Award, consisting of amedal and a scroll, was presented to Sydnes at theGeneral Assembly of FECS member societies inBarcelona, Spain, in October 2003.

Sydnes has been instrumental in developing theeducational and professional activities of FECS and inpromoting the European Chemist designation. He wasrecognized by FECS for his contribution to the publicappreciation of chemistry, especially his focus onbringing the excitement and value of chemistry to chil-dren and to society in general. Examples include thenumerous public lectures he has given and the prime-time television programs he has made for the generalpublic on chemistry-related topics. He has beeninvolved in FECS for 10 years, serving as a member ofthe Executive Committee, as vice-chairman of the for-mer European Communities Chemistry Council, and aschairman of the European Chemist Registration Board.

Sydnes has been involved with IUPAC for about 10years. From 1992 to 1996 he served as president ofthe Norwegian Chemical Society. He has been profes-sor at the University of Bergen, Norway, since 1993.

Prior to that he was at the University of Tromsø. Hisresearch is currently concentrated on organic synthe-sis with emphasis on the application of cyclopropanechemistry and photochemistry to introduce usefulstructures into organic molecules.

www.fecs-chemistry.org

The International Association ofChemical Thermodynamics GainsAssociated Organization Status

At its most recent meeting in Ottawa in August2003, the IUPAC Council approved the appli-cation of the International Association of

Chemical Thermodynamics (IACT) to become anAssociated Organization. Associated Organizationsare international organizations that share commongoals and interests with IUPAC.

IACT was set up to pursue and expand the role ofthe former IUPAC Commission on Thermodynamics inmaintaining the highest standards in teaching andresearch in this key area of chemistry, which encom-passes both equilibrium and non-equilibrium studies.Thermodynamics continues to be of utmost impor-tance as it finds application in a wide range of devel-oping subject areas such as new materials andbiosciences.

According to IACT Secretary J. H. Dymond, IACT isconvinced that its Associated Organization status willbe of great mutual benefit, and is looking forward toclose cooperation on many fronts.

Among the objectives of the IACT, as stated in itsconstitution, are the following:• advance education in thermodynamics• encourage young scientists to work in the area of

chemical thermodynamics• advance the application of thermodynamics in sci-

ence, technology, and education• develop a better theoretical understanding of ther-

modynamic properties• encourage the measurement of thermodynamic

properties of pure compounds and mixtures whichhave industrial importance and/or are of specialacademic interest

• improve experimental techniques in thermodynamics• establish standards of excellence in the conduct of

thermodynamic research and in its reporting in thescientific literature

IUPAC President Leiv Sydnes (left) receives the FECSAward from FECS President Gábor Náray-Szabó.


IUPAC Conferences on ChemicalThermodynamicsA major responsibility for IACT is its involvement inthe biennial IUPAC-sponsored InternationalConferences on Chemical Thermodynamics (ICCT).The next ICCT, which will take place 17–21 August2004 in Beijing, China, will include symposia on elec-trolyte and non-electrolyte solution thermodynamics;new materials (including polymers); phase equilibria,supercritical fluids, and separation technologies; andsurfactants, colloids, and interface science. A list ofsymposia and workshops and more information canbe found at <www.ccs.ac.cn/ICCT2004.html>. Theconference also features the Rossini Award andLecture. The award is given by IACT for excellence inchemical thermodynamics.

ProjectsOne of IACT’s principle goals is to encourage projects,particularly between different groups of thermody-namists. Following are examples of recent projects(see IUPAC Web site for details): • Vapour Liquid Critical Properties of Elements and

Compounds (K.N. Marsh; 2000-026-1-100)• Chemical Thermodynamics for Industry (T.M.

Letcher; 2002-063-1-100) (see page 17)

• Recommended values for the viscosity of molten ironand aluminium (W.A. Wakeham; 2003-005-1-100)

• XML-Based IUPAC Standard for ThermodynamicProperty Data Capture and Storage (M. Frenkel;2002-055-3-024) (see page 17)

MembershipMembership in IACT is open to all qualified applicants.Members receive a discount in the registration fee forthe ICCT, are sent announcements of meetings andreports from business meetings, and are eligible tovote for the Board of Directors.

For more information, contact J. H. Dymond <[email protected]>, IACT secretary.

Questionable Stereoformulas ofDiastereomers

by Gerd Kaupp and M. Reza Naimi-Jamal

Wedge bonds are still in use for the character-ization of relative configurations of asym-metric centers in racemic diastereomers

(e.g., in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 2003, 42, 2550).Furthermore, there seems to be an increasing misuse ofsuch formulas as eye-catchers in graphical abstracts,when the paper itself deals with achiral compounds orracemates, but not with absolute stereochemistry orenantioselectivity (e.g., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.2003, 42, 384; 2003, 42, 151; 2003, 42, 549 [does notdeal with the usage of wedges in metal complexes]).

Our inquiry with journal editors points to a kind ofdesperate unwillingness to unify the usage of wedges

for an unambiguous description of diastereomers. Theviolation of pertinent IUPAC recommendationsprompts us to point out to the scientific communitywhat we feel is a widespread bad habit and to urge anefficient remedy. Wedged and hatch-wedged bondsare excellent and unambiguous devices for the identi-fication of absolute configurations in organic structuralformulas. A chemical formula drawn in that manner isthus immediately attributed with R/S-descriptors bydatabases such as CAS/REG/SCIFINDER and storedfor retrieval. There is no room for a debate that a struc-tural formula must be correct by itself, irrespective oftextural context or specifications (frequently it is notmentioned that a racemate was formed).

Indeed, the Beilstein database keeps with inter-preting stereochemistry from the context of the for-mula or on its own judgment, adds and stores theword “racemate” if appropriate for its stereosearch

In August, the IUPAC Council also approved the applica-tions of the International Plasma Chemistry Society andthe Southern and Eastern Africa Network of AnalyticalChemists for Associated Organization status.

Inquiries about becoming an Associated Organizationof IUPAC should be directed to the executive director at<[email protected]>.

www.iupac.org/links/ao.html

Up for DiscussionA forum for members and member organizations to shareideas and concerns.Send your comments by e-mail to <[email protected]>.

Up for Discussion


facility not in the field “absolute” but in the fields “rel-ative” and “racemic.” However, the database adheresto the wedged formulas and this may be the reasonfor frequent data errors by embracing epimers underone and only one “racemate” (Scifinder also frequentlydoes this), as can be experienced with examples frompapers cited below.

If an actual racemic diastereomer is published withone single-wedged formula (e.g., in J. Am. Chem. Soc.2003, 125, 158; Eur. J. Chem. 2003, 1779; Tetrahedron2003, 59, 3769; Schemes 3-5 in Angew. Chem. 2003,42, 549), authoritative databases will at the end “pre-tend” absolute configurations and asymmetric synthe-ses. Still more disturbing is the reference of anunambiguous wedge formula to a single molecularstructure image from an X-ray analysis under textualusage of starred R- and S-descriptors (e.g.,[2R*,3R*,4S*,5R*] in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1991,30, 420), which are stored in the CAS/REG/SCIFINDERdatabases with the descriptors (2R,3R,4S,5R) (with suf-fix or prefix “rel”). In review articles this unambiguouslyformulated enantiomer may then easily appear unla-beled (e.g., in Chem. Rev. 2000, 100, 1025; on p.1048)and an absolute asymmetric synthesis is “pretended.” Inthat situation only the application of stereochemicalprinciples and the analysis of the reported X-ray datacan unambiguously reveal that in fact a racemate hadformed and not only the depicted enantiomer.Numerous problems can be envisaged.

We therefore propose to face this widespreadlong-term nuisance and use wedged chemical formu-las only for indicating absolute configuration. Thickand hatched (alternatively broken) bonds should beused for the representation of relative configurationsin racemic diastereomers, as these, contrary to the

wedges, do not necessarily indicate an absolute ori-entation in space. They are therefore more suited forthe characterization of racemates with only one for-mula. Enantiomers of diastereomers with knownabsolute configuration should always be drawn usingwedges (e.g., different than the usage in J. Am. Chem.Soc. 2003, 125, 3534). The automatic recording ofconfigurations will then easily recognize the informa-tion “racemate” or “enantiomer.”

We wish to take the liberty to ask authors, referees,and editors to act accordingly in order to avoid furtherharm to our science. In the figure below, formula A, oreven more distinct formula B (traditionally with exactlythe same meaning), will then rightfully look like formulaC (alternatively like formula D), if it is not the (1R,4S,5S)-enantiomer, but the racemate of this diastereomer.

We have noticed that some authors apparently feel

the same discomfort and already draw their formulasin the suggested manner (e.g., in J. Am. Chem. Soc.2003, 125, 761; Eur. J. Chem. 2003, 1733; Angew.Chem. 2003, 42, 694).

Prof. Gerd Kaupp <[email protected]> and Dr. M. Reza

Naimi-Jamal are at the University of Oldenburg in Oldenberg, Germany.

Ar

HO H

Ar

H

OH

Ar

Ar OH

Ar

HO H

Ar

H

OH

Ar

Ar OH

OH

OH

A

B

C

D

Response from the IUPAC ChemicalNomenclature and StructureRepresentation Division (VIII)

Division VIII is well aware of the problempointed out by Drs. Kaupp and Naimi-Jamal,and will be addressing it in the course of a sub-

stantial project on Graphical RepresentationStandards for Chemical Structure Diagrams currentlyunder consideration. There are published IUPAC rec-ommendations on the depiction of stereoformulae in“Basic Terminology of Stereochemistry” (Pure Appl.Chem., 68, 2193–2222 [1996]) and these will bereviewed and expanded as part of this new project.

The specific problem raised in the letter from Drs.Kaupp and Naimi-Jamal is addressed by some organ-isations, such as the World Health Organization, draw-ing the R isomer (i.e., the isomer with the Rconfiguration at the lowest locant if there is more thanone centre of chirality) and adding, where relevant, “orenantiomer” or “and enantiomer.” There is a difficultywith the proposal to restrict the use of “thick” and“hatched” bonds to represent relative configurations,in that the reader would have no means of recogniz-ing that this convention was being used.

Alan McNaught <[email protected]> is president of the IUPAC Chemical Nomenclature

and Structure Representation Division.


The Project PlaceInformation about new, current, and complete IUPACprojects and related initiatives.See also www.iupac.org/projects

XML-Based IUPAC Standard forExperimental and CriticallyEvaluated Thermodynamic PropertyData Storage and Capture

IUPAC has approved a project to develop an XML-based IUPAC standard for thermodynamic data com-munications as one of the activities of the Committeeon Printed and Electronic Publication. Thermophysicaland thermochemical property data represent a keyfoundation for development and improvement of allchemical process technologies. These data are alsocritical for support of fundamental research inphysics, chemistry, biology, and material science.

The unprecedented growth in the number of cus-tom-designed software tools for various engineeringapplications has created an interoperability problembetween the formats and the structures of the ther-modynamic data files and required input/outputstructures of different software products. This prob-lem is reflected in the extremely time- and resource-consuming efforts required to collect the data withina particular data management environment usingnumerous data sources of different types. Within thelast 20 years this problem has become a major obsta-cle to developing efficient process-design softwaretools, requiring generation of extensive thermophysi-cal and thermochemical property data packages. Themajor objective of this project is to provide a practicalsolution to the problem by establishing an interna-tional standard for thermophysical/thermochemicaldata storage and exchange.

A standardized XML-based dictionary will providethe most powerful, interoperability solution for inter-pretation and use of thermodynamic data. Such a dic-tionary has to be able to describe the complete set ofthermophysical and thermochemical properties (morethan 120), their uncertainties, and related metadata.XML (Extensible Markup Language) avoids commonpitfalls in language design: it is extensible and plat-form-independent. Since XML files are essentially tex-tual files, they can be easily analyzed without the useof specific customized software products and can beread by a variety of text editors. The XML-basedstructure will represent a balanced combination ofhierarchical and relational elements. It will explicitlyincorporate structural elements related to basic prin-ciples of phenomenological thermodynamics: thermo-chemical and thermophysical (equilibrium andtransport) properties, state variables, system con-straints, phases, and units. The structural features of

the metadata records will ensure unambiguous inter-pretation of numerical data as well as data-qualitycontrol based on the Gibbs Phase Rule. The devel-oped dictionary will provide elements for storage andexchange of experimental, critically evaluated, andpredicted data. The schema will have provisions forthe expressions of various measures of the thermody-namic data uncertainties, such as standard uncer-tainty, combined standard uncertainty, combinedexpanded uncertainty, and different types of preci-sion (e.g., repeatability, deviation from the fittedcurve, or device specifications).

Establishment of the XML-based IUPAC standardwill provide an easy-to-use and extremely efficientpipeline for transferring data from data producers todata users. The standard will serve as a hub tool andassure interoperability between various data manage-ment systems and operation platforms.

For more information, contact the Task Group Chairman Michael Frenkel

<[email protected]>.

www.iupac.org/projects/2002/2002-055-3-024.html

Chemical Thermodynamics forIndustry

For over a century, chemical thermodynamics—thehistory of which stretches back 150 years—has beenthe foundation for much of chemistry. Despite this his-torical importance, there is an attitude among manychemists that thermodynamics has little relevance tomodern day chemistry and will have little importancein the future development of chemistry. To counteractthis view, the former IUPAC Commission on ChemicalThermodynamics, published in 1999 a volume entitledChemical Thermodynamics for the 21st Century. Itconsisted of 27 chapters, all focusing on the applica-tions of thermodynamics to very recent develop-ments in chemistry. The aim was to highlight the roleof thermodynamics at the forefront of chemicalresearch.

In 2002, the International Association of ChemicalThermodynamics, the successor to the commission,decided to publish a collection of 25 essays onapplied chemical thermodynamic topics. The aim ofthis publication is to highlight the role of thermody-namics in chemical industry and to show that it notonly helps us understand the world we live in, but also

The Project Place


helps to create a better world. Among the topics to becovered in the new volume are the following:• multiphase thermodynamics• reactive distillation• thermodynamic properties from ab initio quantum

chemistry• molecular modeling• properties of clathrates• ionic liquids in separation processes• calorimetry• transport properties• bioseparation• nano-particles and nano-technology

The volume will be published in 2004 with the RoyalSociety of Chemistry (UK). The editor is ProfessorTrevor Letcher, who edited the previous volume(Chemical Thermodynamics for the 21st Century, 1999[ISBN 0-632-05127-2], <www.iupac.org/publications/books/author/letcher.html>). The new collection isaimed at those working in this field as well as generalchemists, prospective researchers, and those involvedin funding chemical research.

For more information, contact the Task Group Chairman Trevor Letcher

<[email protected]>.

www.iupac.org/projects/2002/2002-063-1-100.html

Pesticide Science—Harmonizationof Data Requirements andEvaluation

The IUPAC Chemistry and the Environment Divisionhas had a sustained interest in pesticide science. Therecent IUPAC-Korean Society of Pesticide ScienceInternational Workshop on Pesticides was not only anintegral project, but it was an occasion for reviewingother IUPAC projects in this field. In this article,Kenneth Racke reports on the workshop.

More than 300 scientists, government regulators,and industry leaders representing 28 countries gath-ered in Seoul, Korea, 13–15 October 2003, to partici-pate in the IUPAC-Korean Society of PesticideScience International Workshop on Pesticides 2003.1

The theme of the workshop was “Harmonization ofData Requirements and Evaluation.”

The workshop was co-organized by the Korean

Society of Pesticide Science (KSPS) and the IUPACDivision of Chemistry and the Environment (DCE).Cosponsors included the Korea Rural DevelopmentAdministration, Korea Institute of Toxicology, KoreaCrop Protection Association, CropLife Asia, and sev-eral additional national organizations. Dr. Byung-YoulOh, president of KSPS, coordinated local arrange-ments. IUPAC contributions were coordinated by Dr.Yong-Hwa Kim of the DCE and myself.

Participants in the workshop had the opportunity toattend 33 invited lectures and view approximately 100posters. Main program topics included “PesticideRegulatory Harmonization,”“Residue Behavior and Fate,”and “Risk Assessment andManagement.” The programalso included 12 IUPAC lectur-ers from the DCESubcommittee on CropProtection Chemistry, whohighlighted the findings andrecommendations of a num-ber of recently concluded2,3,4

and ongoing5,6 IUPAC proj-ects. Lectures were also pre-sented by representatives ofthe Organisation forEconomic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD), theFood and Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations (FAO), the International Atomic EnergyAgency, and Codex.

Topics addressed at the workshop were diverseand included research reports on chemistry investiga-tions, establishment of standards (food, water), toxic-ity characterization, risk assessment (dietary intake,occupational exposure, and ecological impacts), pes-ticide evaluation schemes, risk indicators and riskreduction, and standard formats for submissions andreviews. It was clear that there is a need to concen-trate efforts and resources toward activities with thegreatest benefit to all stakeholders. Participants alsonoted that perhaps the greatest challenges to be sur-mounted involve legislative and political barriers. Afinal workshop discussion session highlighted a seriesof overall observations and future considerations, andthese are briefly summarized below.

First, the high-quality research and monitoringactivities occurring within Korea and the surroundingcountries were discussed at the workshop session.

The workshop addressedpesticide residues onfood.


The Project Place

The specific examples clearly employed state-of-the-art approaches toward studies dealing with environ-mental fate, worker exposure, and residue behavior. Inaddition, advanced residue monitoring techniques arebeing applied toward enforcement of regulatory stan-dards for food commodities and water. The technicalsophistication of the region was also evident from themore than one dozen research institutes and privatecontract laboratories that exhibited analytical equip-ment and advertised advanced testing services,including those conducted according to good labora-tory practices. It was clear that continued pursuit ofsuch advanced approaches should be encouraged,but it was also noted that developments must keeppace with rapidly advancing technologies and issues.

International Approaches and StandardsSpeakers highlighted the IUPAC-sponsored projectson harmonized approaches to the establishment ofregulatory standards for pesticide residues in waterand for evaluation of dietary risk of pesticide residuesin food.2,3 Also discussed were highly relevant inter-national approaches, including the OECD harmonizedtesting guidelines and dossier structure, the FAOproduct specification process for active ingredientquality and impurity limits, and the Codex maximumresidue limits for food commodities. It was noted thatcountries in the region would be well served by adopt-ing such available approaches and standards whereapplicable to avoid redundant or barrier-creatingefforts. In some instances, however, there is clearly aneed for better communication on the part of theinternational organizations. It was noted, for example,that the Codex Alimentarius Commission is yearsbehind in updating its Web-based database to reflectthe most current MRL (maximum residue limits) stan-dards for pesticide residues in food.

Pesticide Residues and MRLsOn one hand, monitoring information indicated a lowoverall rate of residue limit violations in the marketplace(e.g., 1–2% of samples analyzed). However, even such alow incidence can result in trade barriers within theregion and with trading partners in North America andEurope. This is because national regulatory authoritiesare primarily focused on setting MRLs based on theirown good agricultural practices (GAP), and typicallygive a relatively low priority to consideration of the GAPof current or potential trading partners. Minor crops area major concern since many have no MRLs establishednationally or in importing countries. The value of Codex

MRLs as internationally harmonized standards washighlighted and it was noted that national authoritiesshould adopt or reference these whenever possible. Adrawback at the moment is that, because of the slow-ness of the Codex system and heavy focus on reevalu-ation of older MRLs, the majority of crop and pesticidecombinations have not yet had Codex MRLs estab-lished. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region were alsoencouraged to consider the GAP of trading partnerswhen setting national MRLs. Finally, it was noted that arecently initiated IUPAC project regarding regulatoryapproaches for minor crops would offer future sugges-tions regarding practical approaches at the national andinternational levels.6

Cooperative Approaches to Research and RegulationA key example of cooperative approaches was the cen-tralized EU pesticide evaluation system. The systemencourages the reduction of barriers and increases har-monization across countries, despite some inefficien-cies and growing pains. Within the EU, the variousFOCUS (Forum for the Coordination of PesticideModels and Their Use) working groups offered a partic-ularly striking model for cooperation between govern-ment, industry, and academia. During the past 10 years,such cooperation has resulted in significant advances inenvironmental assessment and fate modeling methodsfor pesticides. Also noted were the international effortsof FAO, WHO, and IUPAC in bringing together variousstakeholders to address scientific and regulatory chal-lenges related to pesticide evaluation. There appear tobe opportunities within the Asia-Pacific region for anincreased emphasis on cooperative approaches andwork sharing. The recently initiated activities of theASEAN working group on regulatory harmonizationoffered a glimmer of hope for the type of discussionsthat will be required.

Transparency and Risk CommunicationIt was noted that pesticides are one of the mostwidely and thoroughly tested chemical classes, andthat they are generally safe when used responsiblyaccording to label directions. However, all stakehold-ers in the manufacturer-user chain must combine theirefforts to ensure that risks and precautions for work-ers involved in the application of pesticides are wellcommunicated, particularly for users in developingcountries. The extensive testing and regulatory evalu-ation underlying pesticide approvals is under-appreci-ated by the public. In addition, the considerablebenefits of pesticide use are also often overlooked.

The Project Place


The contributions of crop protection chemistry toworld food production, human health protection, pre-vention of environmental degradation or natural arealoss to cultivation, and economic return need to bebetter communicated to an often skeptical public andpress. An example of a common misperception con-cerns the interpretation of MRLs as safety rather thantrade and GAP-control standards.

A book of proceedings containing contributedpapers was distributed to all participants. Slide pre-sentations from the presented lectures are also beingmade available via CD-ROM. Also, some popular andtrade publications will be publishing simplified sum-maries of key workshop presentations.

The IUPAC-KSPS workshop in Seoul was the fifth in aseries organized by the DCE since 1988. Past workshopshave been held in China, Thailand, Brazil, and Taiwan.Plans for an international workshop to be held in SanJose, Costa Rica, are now being finalized for 2005.7

For more information on these projects, contact Dr. Ken Racke

<[email protected]>, senior research scientist at Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis,

USA. Racke was chairman of the international organizing committee for the 2003

pesticide workshop and is now the incoming president of the IUPAC Division on

Chemistry and the Environment.

IUPAC Project References1. Y.-H. Kim, project 2002-046-1-600 <www.iupac.org/

projects/2002/2002-046-1-600.html>

2. D. Hamilton, Pesticide Residues in Food: Acute Dietary

Exposure <www.iupac.org/projects/1999/1999-009-1-

600.html>

3. D. Hamilton, Regulatory limits for pesticide residues in water

<www.iupac.org/projects/1999/1999-017-1-600.html>

4. J. Miyamoto and W. Klein, Environmental implications of

endocrine active substances: Present state-of-the-art and

future research needs <www.iupac.org/projects/

2000/2000-016-1-600.html>

5. G. A. Kleter, Impact of transgenic crops on the use of agro-

chemicals and the environment <www.iupac.org/proj-

ects/2001/2001-024-2-600.html>

6. R.D. Wauchope, Pest management for small-acreage

crops: a cooperative global approach <www.iupac.org/

projects/2001/2001-039-1-600.html>

7. E. Carazo, Crop protection chemistry in Latin America:

Harmonized approaches for environmental assessment

and regulation <www.iupac.org/projects/2003/

2003-013-1-600.html>

The special topic issues of Pure and AppliedChemistry are comprised of research papers andshort, critical reviews organized around a central,compelling theme. Recent issues have covered thefollowing topics:

◆ Science of Sweeteners

◆ Electrochemistry and Interfacial Chemistry for the Environment

◆ Green Chemistry

◆ Nanostructured Systems

Visit <www.iupac.org/publications/pac> for more informationon Pure and Applied Chemistry and other special topic issuescovering oil spill technologies, environmental oestrogens, andchlorine.

Special Topic Issues of Pure and Applied Chemistry

Individual copies are available for USD 50, from: IUPAC SecretariatTel.: +1 919 485 8700Fax: +1 919 485 8706E-mail: <[email protected]>


Making an imPACtRecent IUPAC technical reports and recommendationsthat affect the many fields of pure and applied chemistry.See also www.iupac.org/publications/pac

Properties and Units for TransfusionMedicine and Immunohematology

K. Varming, U. Forsum, I. Bruunshuus,

and H. Olesen

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Vol. 75, No. 10, pp. 1477–1600 (2003)

Basic research in biology and medicine and innova-tions in laboratory methodology have increasedgreatly the range of properties available to medicalstaff to help them in decisions involving the diagnosisand prevention of disease and the treatment ofpatients. The plethora is now such that the individualdoctor may have insight into or understanding of onlya few of the properties offered to him from the vari-ous clinical laboratory specialties. Further, recentdevelopments tend to blur the boundaries betweenthe various disciplines of clinical laboratory sciences;the same properties are being reported differently indifferent disciplines.

The terminology used by one laboratory specialtymay vary even within the specialty, and even beincomprehensible to another area. This is a minorinconvenience to the laboratory specialties, eachbeing concerned essentially with its own area of activ-ity. However, for the user, this is unsatisfactory and itmay even hinder treatment of the patient.

To alleviate this problem, coding schemes combin-ing a definition of a specific property with a particularcode have been developed in the various specialtiesof the domain of clinical laboratory medicine. Thisallows the requester of analyses, and the producerand the receiver of the results, to express the conceptas is most convenient locally.

Often the format of presentation is restricted by thenumber of signs allocated for this purpose in the data-base. For example, the definition “Blood (capillaryBlood)-Glucose; substance concentration = ? mmol/l”is coded by NPU10113. A request for “Blood sugar”identified by the code NPU10113, may be reported backas “NPU10113: B(cB)-Glucose; subst.c. = 6,5 mmol/l” or“NPU10113: 6,5”, and be registered in the patient file ofa general practitioner as “NPU10113: Gluc. 6.5”. Theconcept identified by “Erythrocytes(Blood)-Erythrocyte antigen; taxon(AB0;RhD; procedure) = ?”is coded by NPU01945. A request for “NPU01945blood-typing” may elicit the report “NPU01945:Ercs(B)-Erythrocyte antigen; taxon(AB0; RhD; proc.) =A; RhD negative”, and be registered in the patient fileas “NPU01945: A; RhD negative”.

Each of the clinical laboratory specialties adaptswell to the general structure for presentation of prop-erties and the adhering kinds-of-property. However,often a particular kind-of-property, not used in anyother specialty, is required; for transfusion medicineand immunohaematology the kind-of-property “com-patibility” is unique.

The coding scheme for clinical laboratories is oper-ating in Denmark and in Sweden. It has shown bothpracticability and usefulness; it has eliminated a num-ber of ambiguous presentation formats and it adaptswell to electronic patient records.

This document is part of an ongoing effort to stan-dardize transmission of laboratory data across cul-tural and linguistic domains, without attempting tostandardize the routine language used by cliniciansand laboratory practitioners. It comprises a generalintroduction and an alphabetic list of properties. Thelist is based on the syntax for properties recom-mended by the International Federation of ClinicalChemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) andIUPAC. The nomenclature is primarily from theWorking Party on Terminology of the InternationalSociety of Blood Transfusion.

A manuscript on molecular biology has been final-ized and is pending acceptance by IUPAC and IFCC. Ifit is accepted, the coding scheme covers clinicalchemistry, with the exception of chromosome studiesand the molecular biology of mitochondria. Thescheme comprises some 35 000 entries, or sets ofdefinition and code.

www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2003/7510/7510x1477.html

Implications of Endocrine ActiveSubstances for Humans and Wildlife

A special topic issue edited by

J. Miyamoto and J. Burger

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Vol. 75, Nos. 11–12, pp. 1617–2615 (2003)

Understanding the scientific issues surroundingendocrine-active substances (EASs) is an interna-tional priority. Endocrine disruptors affect not onlyhumans, but also other living organisms. They affectnot only our generation, but also future generations.Though the adverse effects of endocrine disruptions(EDs) were noted as far back as 30 years ago, inten-

Making an imPACt


sive studies of endocrine disruptors have only begunin the last decade. The present SCOPE/IUPAC projecton endocrine active substances is the only projectlooking at these potentially harmful substances on aworld-wide basis, with emphasis on the specific situa-tion in each region.

An endocrine disruptor may be defined as “. . . anexogenous substance that causes adverse healtheffects in an intact organism, or its progeny, second-

ary to changes inendocrine func-tion.” Simplifiedmodels exist thatcan be used toassess hazardsand risks, butshould be a pri-ority to adjustthese models asnew insights onlarger scalesimpact the accu-racy and rele-vance of thebasic method-ologies.

In 1998, ac o m m i t t e einvolving repre-sentatives fromIUPAC, IUTOX( In te rnat iona l

Union of Toxicology), and IUPHAR (InternationalUnion of Pharmocology) made recommendations inthe “White Book” on endocrine disruptors. One rec-ommendation was to establish a better understandingof the impact of particular chemicals on the environ-ment, as well as a need for better screening, testing,and risk-assessment methods.

In the project Environmental Implications ofEndocrine Active Substances: Present State-of-the-Art and Future Research needs, there were four focusareas: nuclear receptor mechanisms, fate and metab-olism of EASs, effects in rodents and humans, andeffects in wildlife species.

Recent studies have indicated that exposure ofhumans to EASs potentially can have many effects,ranging from abnormal maturation to cancer.

However, it is difficult to establish whether these con-ditions are caused by, related to, or in actuality, com-pletely independent of EASs. Though several tests aredesigned to detect ED disease conditions, as somediseases are evident only after chronic exposure orlong latency, it is necessary to revise testing tech-niques as scientists become more knowledgeable ofcause-effect relationships. During the last decade, it isnotable that there have been no conclusive findings ofhuman disease caused by low-level environmentalexposures to EASs.

In addition to humans, over 200 wildlife specieseither are known, or are suspected to have been,affected by EASs. Though most examples of ED inwildlife have been reported from Europe, NorthAmerica, Japan, and Australasia, it is possible that thisreflects the current global distribution of researchefforts. Highly contaminated areas with significanthuman populations typically show the most signifi-cant effects on wildlife, but even lower levels of expo-sures to particular substances can occur inless-developed areas. The greatest exposure has beenshown in aquatic life, but again, it is possible that thisis due to the concentration of current investigationson this area.

The project culminated in a symposium held 17–21November 2002 in Yokohama, Japan. Scientists, man-agers, and public policy-makers presented papers onhuman effects, wildlife effects, exposure assessment,and testing for EASs and ED effects. There were sixworkshops dealing with the effectiveness of QSARtoxicogenomics, integrated monitoring systems, rapidassays, precautionary principle/weight of evidenceapproaches, and risk management options forendocrine disruptors. Overall, 408 scientists gatheredfrom 31 countries, giving 84 talks and contributing anadditional 84 posters. The papers presented form thebasis of this special issue of Pure and AppliedChemistry (Vol 75, Nos 11/12, 2003). The issue alsoincludes an executive summary edited by J. Miyamotoand J. Burger.

At the meeting, a range of needs was identifiedthat applies to all aspects of the study of ED andEASs. The field of ED is rich in unexpected observa-tions-consistent with evolving methodologies and thestate of our understanding of the underlying biologyof the endocrine systems. However, the science willbe aided by a renewed commitment of researchers to

Making an imPACt


follow the scientific method.Assessing the exposure of living organisms means

uncovering the sources, transport, and fate of EASs inenvironmental media through organism contact,bioavailability and absorption, and distribution to targettissues or receptors. The substantial literature on chem-ical exposure assessment, in general, may be applied toEASs. Long-term cryobanking of human and wildlifespecimens will allow for retrospective evaluation whennew priorities arise. By sampling indicator species andmeasuring biomarkers, researchers should haveadvance warning of problems. Sustained programs formonitoring EASs—that emphasize substances of high-potency and high-exposure potential that may pose areal risk for humans or the environment—require sus-tained investment and public support.

It is important to note that in vitro tests, alone, can-not be used to define ED activity, as no endocrine sys-tem is being monitored. To uncover whether an EASwill show ED activities, it is necessary to use assaysbased on a whole organism. Uncertainty regardingwhether some EASs may possess the ability to induceeffects at doses below those considered safe usingcurrent testing methodologies should be evaluatedurgently and resolved.

In all areas of study, there may be sensitive sub-groups of exposed individuals that may show muchgreater responses than the majority. This could leadto a loss of information if this potential is not recog-nized. It is therefore important to obtain better statis-tical methods for detecting such effects, which maybe obscured by population-based, parametric statisti-cal analysis alone.

Methodologies need to be developed to improvequantitation and understanding of both the certain-ties and the uncertainties associated with extrapolat-ing experimental animal data, derived from multiplestudies using different endpoints, to effects expectedat ambient levels of environmental exposure.

Consensus on definitions and applications of theprecautionary principle and the weight of evidenceapproach should be sought. At present, these twoconcepts compete for attention and are subject to arange of definitions. The precautionary principle alsoallows action when the probability of an adverseeffect may be low, but consequences are consideredlarge and/or irreversible, and the cost of preventive

action is acceptable to society. Some believe that thisrepresents action when a hazard should exist, but isnot necessarily evidenced; others believe it to indicatethe evidence is overwhelming, but ultimate proofdoes not exist. Meanwhile, the weight of evidenceapproach is regarded by some as a numerical averag-ing of positive and negative data sets, while othersregard it as an expert integration of all available data(which may include the explicit consideration of clearbut isolated findings).

Because screening assays provide qualitatively dif-ferent information than definitive tests, the resultsfrom these dissimilar assays should be used in a man-ner that is consistent with the scientific basis and pur-pose of each. To advance our understanding of therelative merits and disadvantages of these differentapproaches to risk management, it is essential toexamine some examples of actions that have beentaken on EASs, compare the different outcomes, anddecide which are preferable.

Scientific gaps and uncertainties remain large, andwill continue for some time. However, the in-depth,comprehensive, authoritative review by SCOPE andIUPAC of EASs and their environmental and healtheffects will facilitate risk assessment and assist gov-ernmental and intergovernmental authorities, indus-try, and the wider public in framing policies to addressthese issues.

What is the future of research in EASs and EDs?While past and present research and techniques areuseful, the methods and approaches must be continu-ously modified and perfected to incorporate new dis-coveries. We have learned that the global effectsattributed to EASs are not as all pervading or fear-some as some have asserted, nor as trivial as otherswould wish. The beauty of science is that “moreresearch is always needed,” and our quest for under-standing the world around us is boundless. However,the most important question regarding ED is: Whatare the significant effects of EASs in terms of health,well-being, and population stability of humans andwildlife? As humans continue to evolve, so will thestudy of endocrine-active substances.

www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2003/7511/

www.iupac.org/news/archives/2003/pr-031030.html


Biodegradable Polymers & Plastics

Emo Chiellini and Roberto Solaro(editors)Macromolecular Symposia, Vol. 197Wiley-VCH, 2003, pp. 1–466ISBN 3-527-30701-x

Demand for plastic consumer productsis expected to double or triple over thecoming decades, which will increaseconcern about the environmentalimpact of plastic waste.Environmentally degradable polymericmaterials and plastics based on renew-able resources, as well as on crude oilfeedstock, are attracting more andmore interest from plastic manufactur-ers and consumers. These materialshave structural and functional attrib-utes that nicely match the currentemphasis on sustainable industrial development.

With these developments in mind, the 7th World

Conference on Biodegradable Polymers & Plastics(7th BP&P) was held 4–8 June 2002 in Tirrenia, Pisa

(Italy). The conference is a continua-tion of the former series of sixInternational Scientific Workshops onBiodegradable Polymers and Plasticsthat started in 1989. The conferencewas aimed at highlighting progress inthe field and exploring new issues rel-evant to the design and production ofpolymeric materials that can be con-verted into environmentally degrad-able plastic items.

The present issue ofMacromolecular Symposia comprisessome of the selected contributionspresented at the 7th BP&P. Remainingcontributions constitute the body ofthe book Biodegradable Polymers &Plastics published by KluwerAcademic/Plenum Press.

ww.iupac.org/publications/macro/2003/197_preface.html

Physicochemical Kinetics andTransport at Biointerfaces

Wolfgang Koester and H. P. van Leeuwen (editors)Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry ofEnvironmental Systems, Vol. 9John Wiley & Sons, 2004ISBN 0-471-49845-9

The IUPAC Series on Analytical and PhysicalChemistry of Environmental Systems provides a criti-cal evaluation of state-of-the-art knowledge onphysicochemical properties and processes in environ-mental systems, as well as on the analytical tech-niques required to study and monitor them. The seriesis aimed at promoting rigorous analysis and under-standing of physicochemical functioning of environ-mental and bioenvironmental systems.

The effects and fate of organic and inorganic mate-rials in environmental systems are determined by theirdistribution and transport within and between bioticand abiotic reservoirs. Development of mechanisticmodels to describe these processes requires an inte-grated approach with functional links between thevarious modes of transport of bioactive chemicalspecies and the biophysical processes to which theyare subjected. Until now, much of the key knowledge

in this area has been dispersed over several ratherpoorly interacting disciplines. This timely book inte-grates these activities and highlights key directionsfor future research.

The book focuses on the physicochemical kineticsof processes in the interphasial region between organ-isms and their external medium, and coupling of theseprocesses with the mass transfer of the chemicalspecies involved. Specialized subtopics encompass:• structure and permeative properties of biomem-

branes and their aqueous interfacial layers• diffusive and convective processes at the biointerface• routes for transport of chemical compounds across

membranes• biological chemistry of organisms

Physicochemical Kinetics and Transport atBiointerfaces will be a valuable resource forresearchers and students interested in understandingthe fundamentals of chemical kinetics and transportprocesses in bioenvironmental systems. The contentis required reading for chemists, physicists, and biolo-gists in environmentally oriented disciplines.

www.iupac.org/publications/books/author/koester.html

Books and publications hot off the press.See also www.iupac.org/publications

Bookworm


Chemicals in Products: Safeguardingthe Environment and Human Health

Royal Commission on Environmental PollutionTSO (The Stationery Office), London, 2003 ISBN 0-10-158272-2

Following is an abridged version of a much longerreview that may be read on IUPAC’s Web site at<www.iupac.org/publ icat ions/ci/2004/2601/bw3_duffus.html>

reviewed by John Duffus

This report carries with it a great deal of authoritybecause it was produced by the Royal Commission onEnvironmental Pollution (RCEP). The RCEP is an inde-pendent standing body in the United Kingdom, estab-lished in 1970 to advise Queen Elizabeth II,government, Parliament, and the public on environ-mental issues. The commission sees its role as review-ing and anticipating trends and developments inenvironmental policies, identifying fields where insuf-ficient attention is being given to problems, and rec-ommending action that should be taken. Themembers of the RCEP are drawn from a variety ofbackgrounds in academia, industry and public life.Members serve part-time and as individuals, not asrepresentatives of organizations or professions.

The findings and recommendations from a com-mission study are published in a report such as theone being reviewed here. Aimed at a general reader-ship, the commission’s reports are written so that noparticular scientific or other expertise is needed tounderstand them. Most commission recommendationsare addressed to U.K. government departments, and aU.K. government response to a commission report isprepared and published by one or more of the rele-vant U.K. government departments. The parliament isinformed of the government response, usually adetailed paper setting out the government’s decisionon each recommendation.

The present report starts from the premise that“after more than a century of chemicals production,and decades of legislation attempting to deliver envi-ronmental safety from these chemicals, we still do nothave a good understanding of the fate and effects ofchemicals in the environment.” The RCEP believes that“only a substantial paradigm shift will allow a start tobe made to rectify this situation, and . . . that such a

start needs to bemade now.” Hence,the objective of thereport is to offer anew approach tochemicals assess-ment and manage-ment. A majorquestion for thereviewer is thereforewhether this objec-tive has beenattained. A questionwhich puzzles thereviewer, and forwhich no answer isgiven in the report, iswhy the Royal Commission changed its focus from“Study on Long-Term Effects of Chemicals in theEnvironment,” the original title (see Appendix A), to“Chemicals in Products: Safeguarding theEnvironment and Human Health.” Personally, I shouldhave found the originally proposed study more valu-able than the present report and I regret that it wasnot pursued.

The first important point to make about this reportis that it focuses on manmade synthetic organic chem-icals. In doing this, it effectively ignores inorganicchemicals and even naturally occurring organic chem-icals. This self-imposed limitation may be realistic inthat it simplifies the problem faced by the Commission,but it is unrealistic in that it ignores the fact that envi-ronmental exposure to potentially toxic substances isnot compartmentalized into synthetic or natural,organic or inorganic, air or water, soil or sediment,food or pharmaceutical etc. The ultimate logical objec-tive of chemical safety regulation, however difficult toattain, ought to be broadbased regulation of exposureto all potentially toxic substances, of whatever kindand within all environmental media. To reach thisobjective requires bringing together existing piece-meal legislation within a single harmonized legislativeapproach. There are many practical reasons why thiscannot be achieved easily but it ought to be the long-term objective of both regulators and scientists.

www.rcep.org.uk/chreport.html

www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2004/2601/bw3_duffus.html

Bookworm


On the Practice of Safety, Third Edition

Fred A. ManueleWiley Interscience, Hoboken, NJ, 2003 ISBN 0-471-27275-2

reviewed by John Duffus

This book is already well established through its pre-vious editions as a classic text for baccalaureate andmaster’s degree safety programs. However, I come toit as someone who has never read it before and so canreview it as though I were a new student to whom ithad been recommended. My first impression was of atextbook that looked dated in layout and, when com-pared with most modern textbooks, was not very wel-coming. This is a pity because the book is a distillationof many years of experience by the author, thought-fully reviewed and carefully analyzed. Many of hisstatements remain in the mind after reading: “safety isculture driven,” “finance is the language of manage-ment,” and “safety is freedom from unacceptable risk.”

From my personal point of view as a toxicologist, Ifind it difficult to understand how a book on safetycan define a curriculum for the safety professional(Chapter 5), which omits toxicology. In fact, I don’tthink the subject is mentioned anywhere in the book.This is particularly surprising in a book which consid-ers risk assessment and management very thor-oughly. Assessing risk of chemical exposure is often amajor part of the risk assessment process.

In spite of the above reservation, I think that someparts of this book could well be prescribed as com-pulsory reading for safety professionals. Chapter 17,“Guidelines: Designing for Safety,” and Chapter 18,“System Safety: the Concept,” fall into this category.The relationship of “quality management” to “safetypractice” is another important concept developedhere.

Although I found this book, as one might expect,very much based on practice in the USA, I was pleasedto find attention drawn to the ILO/OSH Guidelines onOccupational Safety and Health Management, whichare available on the Web for download at<www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cops/english/download/e000013.pdf>.

The final discussion of the nature of a safety auditand the guiding thoughts derived by the author fromhis lifetime experience again should be essential read-ing for all those concerned with safety.

Having started to read this book with a little reluc-tance because its layout and appearance were some-what off putting, I finished reading it with anadmiration for the way in which the author had dis-tilled wisdom from his lifetime involvement in practi-cal safety management. This is a book to be read nowfor its educational value and also to be kept on theshelf for easy future reference. If only it said a bitmore about my own area of expertise in toxicology, Ishould have little to find wrong with it!

www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471272752.htm

Want to Contribute a Web site review for Internet Connection?

[email protected]

Send your submissions of nomore than 250 words to

Sites that are reviewed will be added to our links of interest page at www.iupac.org/links/


Reports from recent conferences and symposiaSee also www.iupac.org/symposia

Conference CallBioinorganic Chemistry

by Stephen J. Lippard

The Santa María Workshop, organized by theUniversity of Havana and the Cuban Chemical Society,took place 7–11 July 2003 in Havana, Cuba. This eventtakes place every year, during the first half of July. Inthe even years it is devoted to supramolecular chem-istry and during the odd ones to bioinorganic chem-istry. Prof. Roberto Cao, chairman of the workshop,and his laboratory of bioinorganic chemistry weremainly responsible for organizing the conference.

The workshop takes its name from the mar-velous beach Santa María del Mar, which islocated 20 km east of Old Havana. Such a loca-tion guarantees a quiet and pleasant environ-ment. The first day of activities occurs at theUniversity of Havana, with the opening cer-emony at its Aula Magna, a beautiful neo-classic building.

Five main topics were covered in theworkshop: metal interactions with DNAand nucleotides, metalloporphyrins, cop-per compounds, metal nitrosyls, and theinfluence of genomics on bioinorganic chem-istry.

Prof. Stephen Lippard (MIT, USA) presented theopening address, an excellent overview on cisplatin, atopic on which he is a world leader. Another view ofmetal-DNA interactions was given by Prof. HelmutSigel (U. Basel, Switzerland) in his plenary lecture on“Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP4-): Aspects of theCoordination Chemistry of a Multi-Talented BiologicalSubstrate.”

Prof. Ivano Bertini, in his plenary lecture on“Perspectives in Inorganic Structural Biology,” dis-cussed how genomics is influencing further develop-ment of bioinorganic chemistry. Dr. Kirill Degtyarenko(European Bioinformatics Institute, UK) comple-mented Bertini’s considerations on genomics in hisinvited lecture “The Ontology of BioinorganicProteins.” Dr. Roberta Pierattelli also discussed thistopic (Univ. Florence, Italy) in her invited lecture enti-tled “Perspectives in NMR of Paramagnetic CopperProteins.” Prof. Gianni Valensin (Univ. Siena, Italy) pre-sented his invited lecture on “1H-NMR Studies ofCopper(II) Complexes with Histidine-ContainingPeptides.”

Studies of metalloporphyrins were presented byProf. Jonathan L. Sessler (Univ. Texas at Austin, USA),

who discussed results achieved at the University ofTexas and Pharmacyclics, Inc., on lanthanide(III) texa-phyrins (Tex), a family of expanded porphyrins con-taining five nitrogen donor atoms.

NiF430, a nickel tetrahydrocorphinoid cofactor ofmethyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), was analyzedin two invited lectures from different points of view.Prof. Joshua Telser (Rooselvelt Univ., USA) drewattention to variation in oxidation states of nickelaccording to EPR and ENDOR studies. He concludedthat Ni(I) is the formal oxidation state of red1, ox1 andox2 forms of MCR. On the other hand, Prof. MarkZimmer (Connecticut College, USA) presented his

results on the normal-coordinate structuraldecomposition, cluster analysis, and molecular cal-

culations on NiF430. He explained how this cofactorhas very little rotational and translational freedomwithin MCR.

Prof. Peter Ford (Univ. California at SantaBarbara, USA) presented a plenary lecture enti-tled “Probing Fundamental Mechanisms ofNitric Oxide Reactions with Metal Centers andOther Biologically Relevant Targets.”

Attention was also drawn to nitrosyl complexesby Prof. Roberto Cao (Univ. Havana, Cuba) in his

invited lecture “Copper(II) Complexes as InorganicRadical Scavengers.” His coworker, Dr. Alicia Díazgave more detailed information about this study,while Mayreli Ortiz described Ru(II) nitrosyl com-plexes. Finally, Dr. Alex Fragoso presented his resultson Cu(II) cyclodextrin derivative complexes as SODmimics. Prof. Wolfgang Kaim (Univ. Stuttgart,Germany) presented an interesting plenary lectureentitled “Cooperation of Metals with ElectroactiveLigands of Biochemical Relevance: BeyondMetalloporphyrins.”

The last presentation of the workshop was theinvited lecture of Prof. Lena Ruiz (UNAM, Mexico)entitled “New Anticancer Mixed Chelate Copper(II)Complexes (Casiopeinas): Activity, QSAR, andAdenine Interaction.” She presented informationabout the chemical and biological properties of cop-per(II) complexes of general formulae [Cu(N-N)(O-O)]NO3, registered in Mexico under the name of“Casiopeinas.”

On 9 July, a poster session was held featuring 15posters from Cuban, Mexican, and Portugueseresearchers. The closing dinner took place at “LaCabaña,” a 17th century Spanish fortress in which thetraditional “Cañonazo” (gunshot) activity takes placeevery day at 9 PM.

Conference Call


The next workshop, III SMWC, will take place 12–15July 2004. The lecturers who have already confirmedare Angela Danil de Namor (U. Surrey), Javier deMendoza (U. Auton. Madrid), A.P. de Silva (QueensU.), Luis Echegoyen (Clemson U.), Achim Müller ( U.Bielefeld), Vincent Pecoraro (U. Michigan), JoszefSzejtli (Cyclolab), and Fritz Voegtle (U. Bonn).

Stephen Lippard <[email protected]> is a professor in the Department of

Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is conference editor for

the 2nd Santa Maria Workshop.

Macromolecules

by Jaroslav Kríz

An interesting international conference on theSpectroscopy of Partially Ordered MacromolecularSystems was held 21–24 July 2003 in Prague, CzechRepublic. It was organized, under the auspices ofIUPAC, by the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic as the22nd of its annual discussion conferences on macro-molecules. The program reflected increasing scientificinterest in ordered systems in the fields of syntheticand natural macromolecules. Although its main scopeis local and targeted on details of structure and itsdynamics, molecular spectroscopy can and must dealwith order on the semi-local or even larger scale.Nuclear magnetic resonance and vibrational (infraredand Raman) spectroscopy offer effective, and in acertain sense complementary, research tools in thisfield. This was clearly demonstrated by a number ofleading scientists from Europe, the USA, and Japanwho mostly presented inventive modifications ofthese methods.

Lectures covered both liquid and solid-state mag-netic resonance spectroscopy. Christian Griesinger(Germany) presented an ingenious study of proteindynamics using dipolar couplings and cross-relaxationin various alignment media. Jacob Shaefer (USA)showed quite new applications of his REDOR tech-nique in the investigation of local order in polycar-bonate glasses. Isao Ando (Japan) demonstrated howa pulsed field-gradient NMR could be used to studythe quite slow diffusion of rod-like polypeptides in aliquid-crystalline phase. Horst Schneider (Germany)investigated another aspect of liquid crystals: inspect-

ing the main-chain orientation in siloxane polymerswith liquid-crystalline side-chains by an original use of29Si solid-state NMR. Daniel Canet (France) presentedan ingenious and original NMR imaging techniqueusing electromagnetic field gradients, which has thepotential for widespread application. Interestingshorter contributions were presented by G. Jeschke(study of polymer dynamics using EPR) and I. Schnell(merging liquid and solid state NMR methods in thestudy of supramolecular systems), both of whom arefrom Germany. J. Kríz (Czech Republic) used multi-nuclear, multi-quantum NMR to study order in poly-electrolytes. Yu. Gotlib and V. Toshchevnikov (bothfrom Russia) devised theoretical methods to correlatedynamics with NMR relaxation in ordered systems.

In the field of vibrational spectra, Tim Keiderling(USA) elucidated deep connections between dichro-ism in electronic and infrared regions and infraredabsorption or emission, usable for conformational andorder studies of polypeptides. Liliane Bokobza(France) showed how FT infrared dichroism could beused in an effective study of molecular orientation inelastomeric networks. In a stimulating lecture, HeinzSiesler (Germany) presented a number of time-resolved mid-infrared and near-infrared techniquesshowing structural changes in solid polymers underexternal perturbations. Combining FT Raman spec-troscopy with wide-angle X-ray diffraction, YukihiroOzaki (Japan) demonstrated relative order in somepolymer blends. Michel Pezolet (Canada) demon-strated rather astonishing possibilities of polarization-modulated FT infrared spectroscopy in the study ofpolymer order, even in such subtle objects like spidersilk. In shorter lectures, V. G. Gregoriou (Greece) tack-led conformation changes in a polymer induced bystress or heating using both Raman and FT-IR. Astudy of polypeptide multi-layers by dichroic ATR-FTIR technique was presented by M. Mueller(Germany). H. Sato (Japan) presented a combinedFTIR and WAXS study of a biodegradable polymer.An ingenious study of surface polymer layers by FTIRwas presented by E. N. Vlasova (Russia).

The main and special lectures were further accom-panied by a number of well-prepared and interestingposters. As a special feature, a panel discussion—moderated by C. Griesinger and T. Keiderling—washeld on the complementary advantages of NMR andvibrational spectroscopy. In a lively discussion, theparticipants agreed that the time window of therespective methods gives the infrared spectroscopy


Conference Call

access to more immediate view of the objects, whileNMR reflects a more time-averaged state. Also, morecollective features of the system are naturallyreflected by the infrared, while NMR has a typicallylocal view. However, the participants rather disagreedwhen trying to decide if this difference leads to a seri-ous limitation of any of the discussed methods.Apparently, both branches of spectroscopy keepdeveloping various sophisticated modifications instriving to overcome their limitations. The discussionended in a refreshing atmosphere of general optimismbased on a number of rather astonishing examples ofsteadily improving sensitivity and performance ofboth types of spectroscopy.

The 23rd Discussion Conference, Current Trends inPolymeric Materials, will be held in Prague in July2005.

Jaroslav Kríz <[email protected]>, chairman of the 22nd Discussion Conference, is the

head of the Department of Structure Analysis at the Institute of Macromolecular

Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague.

Spectroscopy

by Carmen Cámara and Luis Fermín Capitán-Vallvey

The Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale (CSIXXXIII) took place in Granada (Spain), from 7–12September 2003. The conference was co-chaired byProfs. Alfredo Sanz-Medel (Oviedo University) andJavier Laserna (Málaga University).

About 514 participants from 40 different countriesattended the event. After Spain (with about 200 par-ticipants), the countries with the highest representa-tion were Germany (39 participants), the UnitedStates (29 participants), and Japan (21 attendees).The contributions (504) were presented in 97 lecturesand 407 posters. In addition to the above-mentionedcountries, Turkey and Brazil contributed significantlyto the CSI with posters.

More than 30 internationally recognized scientistsfrom the different fields of spectroscopy deliveredplenary and invited lectures in different simultaneoussessions devoted to most of the branches of molecu-lar and atomic spectroscopy.

A special additional feature of the conference wasthe presentation of five “Hot Topics” sessions covering

some of the cutting-edge trends in applied spec-troscopy. The sessions, which were organized by well-known experts in each Hot Topic, had a total length ofabout three and a half hours. The session titles, fol-lowed by the names of each organizer, are listedbelow:

• “Trace Analysis and Microanalysis with Lasers: Stillthe Ultimate Choice?”; Nicolo Omenetto (USA)

• “Modern Applications of NMR to the Study of theStructure, Dynamics, and Interactions ofBiomolecules”; Jesús Jiménez Barbero (Spain)

• “Miniaturization, Chips, and Microfluidics forChemical Analysis”; Andreas Manz (UK)

• “Mass Spectrometry in the Post-Genomic Era:Proteomics”; Ryszard Lobinski (France)

• “Chemical Imaging”; Renato Zenobi (Switzerland)

The CSI XXXIII award was given to Prof. Jim D.Winefordner (University of Florida, USA), “for pioneer-ing work in developing analytical atomic and molecu-lar optical spectroscopy from empirical approaches tofundamental physical approaches and for his contribu-tions to the progress of spectrochemical analysis.”Prof. Winefordner received the award from Prof. J.Laserna in a special session, during which Ben Smithpresented a history of Winefordner’s laboratory.

The conference also included an instrument exhibi-tion featuring 14 instrument manufacturers and 3spectroscopic publishers. The exhibition offered anopportunity for people from industry and academia tointeract closely, exchanging ideas and experiences.Additionally a highly successful vendor session,chaired and organized by Dr. J. Brenner, was speciallyarranged for the conference. This workshop high-

Prof. J. Winefordner receiving the CSI XXXIII award fromProf. Javier Laserna


lighted technical-scientific presentations given byexperts from different instrument manufacturers. Theaim of the session was to demonstrate the currentstatus of commercial instrumentation and accessoriesin spectroscopy and to provide conference partici-pants with the opportunity to discuss current specifi-cations and performance. The high number ofattendees surpassed the organization’s expectation.

Before the CSI Conference in Granada, a pre-sym-posium took place in Zaragoza on “SampleIntroduction in Atomic Spectrometry: NewStrategies,” chaired by Prof. J. R. Castillo (ZaragozaUniversity). In addition, a post-symposium was held inAlmuñécar (Granada), on “Speciation of Elements inBiological, Environmental and Toxicological Sciences,”chaired by J. I. García-Alonso (Oviedo University).

During the CSI Conference in Granada, the CSIContinuation Committee organized a NationalDelegates’ Meeting. One of the most important itemson the agenda was the decision regarding the venuefor CSI XXXV in 2007. Two bids were received (Chinaand Hungary), and after voting (attendees from 30countries participated in the meeting), it was decidedthat China would host the CSI XXXV in 2007.

The local organizing committee did an outstandingjob of carefully designing an attractive and successfulsocial program. A night visit to the wonderfulAlhambra, the premier season concert of theSymphonic Orchestra of Granada, and a friendly

reception at the rector’s office of the university werethe most notable events. The gala dinner served as anexcellent end to this outstanding conference.

Finally, four poster awards sponsored by theJournal of Analytical and Bioanalytical Spectrometry,the Journal of Analytical and Atomic Spectrometry,and the Thermo Electron Corporation (Spain) weregiven to presentations of significant, innovative ana-lytical research in analytical spectrometry.

The CSI XXXIV will be held in Antwerp, Belgium,4–9 September 2005, at the University of Antwerp<www.csixxxiv.ua.ac.be>.

Dr. Carmen Cámara <[email protected]>, a full professor of analytical

chemistry at the Unversity of Madrid, was a member of the organizing committee

of the CSI colloquium. Dr. Luis Fermín Capitán-Vallvey <[email protected]>, full

professor of analytical chemistry at the University of Granada, was a member of

the organizing committee of the CSI colloquium.

Conference Call

The CSI XXXIII poster session featured 407 posters.


Bio-interfaces

23–26 May 2004, Barossa Valley, SouthAustralia

The Physical Chemistry of Bio-interfaces Workshopwill be held immediately following the 7th WorldBiomaterials Congress (17–21 May 2004, Sydney,Australia). This satellite workshop will focus on pro-viding fundamental mechanistic insights into bio-interfaces using physico-chemical methods. Theworkshop format will allow for in-depth discussionson topics such as interfacial forces and propertiesinvolved in protein/surface interactions, non-foulingsurfaces, molecular kinetics of drug delivery, andmore.

This meeting will also provide an interdisciplinaryforum for the presentation and discussion of experi-mental and theoretical studies of bio-interfaces andbiomolecule-surface interactions. Increased under-standing of interactions between biomolecules and

surfaces, the behavior of complex macromolecularsystems at materials interfaces, and biomolecule-bio-molecule interactions will contribute to the rapidgrowth in biomedical research, biotechnology, diag-nostics, proteomics, genomics, dentistry, and medi-cine. Advances in materials science, molecularbiology, surface and interface analysis methods, andtheoretical and modeling approaches to biologicalsystems will be featured in this workshop, as well asexperimental tools and theoretical models to describebio-interface phenomena with physical concepts andrules that allow predictive, model-driven research.

Invited and contributed talks will be selected fortheir ability to advance fundamental understanding ofthe topic, relevant to biomaterials, bio-diagnostics,and drug delivery applications.

See Calendar on page 36 for contact information

www.iwri.unisa.edu.au/conferences.htm

Sample Handling18–21 April 2004, Baiona-Vigo, Spain

The 11th Symposium on Sample Handling forEnvironmental and Biological Analysis will be held18–21 April 2004 in Baiona-Vigo (Northwest Spain).The symposium will cover all qualitative and quantita-tive areas of this field, including technical develop-ments, theoretical considerations, and applications ofthe techniques in environmental, biological, pharma-ceutical analysis, and other related areas.

This successful series, sponsored by theInternational Association of Environmental AnalyticalChemistry (IAEAC), started in November 1983, inLausanne, Switzerland. It was subsequently held inFreiburg, Germany (1985); Mallorca, Spain (1986);Basel, Switzerland (1988); Baden-Baden, Germany(1991); Guilford, Great Britain (1993); Lund, Sweden(1995); Almeria, Spain (1997); Porto, Portugal (1999);and in Mainz, Germany (2001).

All topics will be introduced in plenary lectures andinvited research lectures, which will then be followedby brief research presentations and posters. A specialsession will be devoted to analytical approaches to

evaluating the impact of the “Prestige” oil spillthrough environmental and marine biological samplesfrom the Galician Coast. Sampling of future oil spillswill also be discussed. Topics of the special sessionwill include marine and coastal pollution, wastewateranalysis, micro and nanotechnology in sample han-dling, and new analytical developments, includingbiochemical, immunochemical approaches, andProteomics.

Baiona is a fishing town considered a Gem ofGalician Tourism, located 20 km from Vigo, thebiggest and most populous city of Galicia (also themost active fishing port in Europe). Baiona is about100 km from Porto, Portugal, and a similar distancefrom Santiago de Compostela. The symposium will beheld at the “Parador Conde de Gondomar,” anenchanting Middle Age’s fortress that has beenrecently restored.

Registration is available at a reduced rate until 15February. The appropriate forms may be downloadedvia the conference Web site.

www.iaeac.ch

Where 2B&YAnnouncements of conferences, symposia, workshops,meetings, and other upcoming activities.

Where 2B & Y


Latin American Congress30 May–2 June 2004, Salvador, Bahia

The 26th Latin American Chemistry Congress and the27th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian ChemicalSociety (XXVIClAQ/27thRASBQ), organized by theLatin American Federation of Chemical Societies andthe Brazilian Chemical Society, will be held 30 May to2 June 2004 in Salvador, Bahia. The Latin AmericanChemistry Congress has been held in Brazil twice, in1937 and 1984, since its inaugural meeting in 1924. Theprogram for this joint 2004 Congress will include 26plenary lectures, 18 symposiums, 3 workshops, and 13short courses.

The Brazilian Chemistry Society (SBQ) has consol-idated and become an important force within thecountry. There are now 41 graduate programs distrib-uted throughout the country, with approximately 400masters’ dissertations and 300 doctorate thesesdefended each year (as of 2001). Scientific productionalso has increased. In 1984 approximately 800 articles

were published; in 2001, this number increased tomore than 1900. Annual meetings of the SBQ involveapproximately 2500 participants who present, onaverage, 1800 posters based on new research results.The SBQ co-edits a series of text books and publishesthree scientific journals: The Journal of the BrazilianChemical Society (in English), Química Nova, andQuímica Nova na Escola (both in Portuguese).

It is estimated that more than 2000 abstracts will besubmitted for refereeing for this meeting; all acceptedabstracts will be presented as posters. Symposia willhave the format of coordinated sessions devoted tospecific topics; some abstracts will be selected for pres-entation at symposia. The SBQ will continue to supportthe participation of undergraduate students who aremembers of SBQ through grants, which will be distrib-uted according to the scientific merit of the work asevaluated by the Scientific Commission. Registrationand submission of abstracts will be carried out onlinethrough the conference Web site.

www.sbqclaq.sbq.org.br

ππ-Electron Systems

14–18 June 2004, Ithaca, NY, USA

The Sixth International Symposium on Functional π-Electron Systems will bring together chemists, physi-cists, biologists, and engineers to discuss recentdevelopments in the field of π-conjugated materials.

This symposium series began in 1989 in Osaka,Japan, as the “International Symposium on FunctionalDyes.” Past symposia were held in Kobe (Japan, 1992),Santa Cruz (California, 1995), Osaka (Japan, 1999) andUlm (Germany, 2002). The name of the symposiumchanged several years ago to reflect its broadenedscope and align it with recent developments in aca-demic, industrial and government research institutions.

The fπ series is a unique forum for the discussion ofstructure-properties relationships in π-conjugatedmaterials. Over 600 scientists from 29 nationsattended the previous symposium in Ulm. The tech-nical program will include 5 keynote lectures, 35 ple-nary lectures, 60 invited and contributed oralpresentations and 3 extensive poster sessions. Papersare solicited on the following topics: • synthesis of functional π-electron materials (molec-

ular, polymeric, other)• processing techniques• structure (bulk, surface/interface)

• properties (electrical, optical, biological, mechani-cal, other)

• applications (electroluminescent devices, photo-voltaic cells, transistors, non-linear optics, sensors,other)

Located in the Finger Lakes region, Ithaca will pro-vide an ideal setting for this meeting. The region fea-tures a multitude of scenic gorges, state parks, andaward-winning wineries. Combining the best of ruraland urban life, Ithaca was voted one of the top 10 bestplaces for families to live in the USA. The state-of-the-art lecture halls of the Cornell campus, the availabilityof dormitory rooms (in addition to regular hotelrooms) within walking distance of the conference, andeasy access to Internet and exercise facilities will addto the quality of the meeting. The proximity to com-panies such as Xerox, Kodak, IBM, GE, and Corningwill ensure a strong interaction with industry. Anextensive social program will be organized for per-sons accompanying conference attendees.

For further information, including registration andabstract submission information please see the con-ference Web site.


www.fpi6.cornell.edu

Biomolecular Chemistry27 June–1 July 2004, Sheffield, UK

The 7th International Symposium on BiomolecularChemistry will continue the tradition of a successfulbiennial symposium on bioorganic chemistry. Mostrecently, conferences within the series were held inToronto, Canada (2002, ISBOC 6), and in Pune, India(2000, ISBOC 5). The symposia focus on the advance-ment of international collaboration and communica-tion at the interface of organic chemistry andbiological and medicinal science.

ISBOC 7 will be held in the Octagon Centre atSheffield University, a venue seating up to 1000 indi-viduals. There will be six afternoon symposia,arranged in parallel sessions: bio-organic chemistry,proteins and peptides, structure and mechanism, bio-inorganic chemistry, biospectroscopy, and biother-modynamics. Contributed lectures (of 15 minutes) areinvited, and abstracts should submitted as soon aspossible. There will be full poster sessions, with a clos-ing date for all abstracts of 31 March 2004.

Plenary speakers include Stephen Benkovic (PennState), Steven Lippard (MIT), Manfred Reetz (MPI

Mülheim), Carol Robinson (Cambridge), DieterSeebach (ETH Zürich), Kazunari Taira (Tokyo), andGeorge Whitesides (Harvard). There also will be anumber of invited lecturers.

Accommodations, including breakfast and dinner,will be provided in the Halls of Residence, in closeproximity to the conference center. En suite accom-modation is available at a small premium, while hotelaccommodations can be privately reserved at nearbylocations (The Post House—Sheffield West, TheRutland Hotel, and The Westbourne Hotel are partic-ularly convenient). The social program will consist ofa mixer reception on Sunday evening, 26 June, apiano recital on Monday evening, and a banquet in theCulter’s Hall on Wednesday evening. There will be anoptional pre-conference tour to Chatsworth House,the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, on Sunday, 27June. A daily social program (optional) will be organ-ized for accompanying persons; registration isthrough the Royal Society of Chemistry.


www.rsc.org/lap/confs/isboc7.htm

Where 2B & Y


Macromolecules4–9 July 2004, Paris, France

The 40th International Symposium onMacromolecules, World Polymer Congress (MACRO2004) is organized by Centre National de laRecherche Scientifique with the participation ofUniversité Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, and EcoleSupérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles dela Ville de Paris.

This biennial Conference of the MacromolecularDivision of IUPAC will bring together scientists fromthe forefront of all sectors of the world polymer com-munity: chemists, physicists, rheologists, mechanicaland process engineers, educators and students, com-ing either from academia, governmental institutions,or industrial companies. The program will be struc-tured around three half-day plenary sessions devotedto contemporary topics of interest to the whole poly-

mer community, and around a series of symposiarelated to more specialized areas. It will involve 10plenary and 280 invited lec-tures together with some 300short lectures and more than1000 poster presentations.

The deadline for abstracts ofpapers is 25 March, and theregistration deadline is 15 May.The procedures for both theabstract submission and thefinal registration will be exclu-sively electronic via the confer-ence Web site.

See Calendar on page 37 forcontact information

www.upmc.fr/macro2004

Where 2B & Y


Chemical Sciences inChanging Times

18–21 July 2004, Belgrade, Serbia andMontenegro

The 4th International Conference of the ChemicalSocieties of the South-Eastern European Countries(ICOSECS 4) will be held 18–21 July 2004, in Belgrade,Serbia and Montenegro. The conference—the themeof which is “Chemical Sciences in Changing Times:Visions, Challenges, and Solutions”—will cover allaspects of pure and applied chemistry, although itsfocus will be on the three accompanying symposia:

• Advanced Materials: From Fundamentals toApplication—Nanostructured materials, biomateri-als, ceramics, macromolecules, metals and alloys,composites, coatings and thin films, carbon-basedmaterials, methods for synthesis, and processing ofmaterials.

• The Greening of Chemistry: Pursuit of a HealthyEnvironment and Safe Food—Renewable or recy-cled feedstocks, alternative synthetic pathways bycatalysis and biocatalysis, photochemistry and bio-mimetic materials, reduction of energy consump-tion and release of pollutants, minimization ofrelease of pollutants, reduction of energy con-

sumption, organically grown crops, and agrochem-icals.

• Teaching and Understanding Chemistry: NewConcepts and Strategies for Changing Times(Dedicated to 150 years of teaching chemistry inSerbia)—Chemical education at the elementarylevel, high school chemistry, university courses inchemistry, active learning in chemistry, permanenteducation, the public image of chemistry, and thechemical industry.

Plenary lecturers will include John Fenn (VirginiaCommonwealth University, USA), Jean-Marie Lehn,(ISIS-Universite Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France),C.N.R. Rao (Centre of Excellence in Chemistry,Bangalore, India), Peter Atkins (University of Oxford,UK), Ronald Breslow, (Columbia University, USA),Egon Matijevic (Clarkson University, USA), K.C.Nikolau (The Scripps Research Institute, USA),Mauirizio Prato (Universita degli Studi di Trieste,Italy), and Ivano Bertini (Universita di Firenze, Italy).

The conference is an event sponsored by bothIUPAC and the Federation of European ChemicalSocieties.


www.shd.org.yu/icosecs4

Reactive Intermediates andUnusual Molecules

17–23 July 2004, Queensland, Australia

The Heron Island Conference on ReactiveIntermediates and Unusual Molecules (Heron3) willtake place 17–23 July 2004 on Heron Island (offGladstone), Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.

This conference is part of the “ISRIUM”(International Symposium on Reactive Intermediatesand Unusual Molecules) series started in 1978 inGeneva (EUCHEM conference on electron deficient

reactive intermediates). The most recent conferencesin the series were held in Vienna in 2000, Nara in2001, and Ascona in 2002, and Reykjavik in 2003.There have been two previous Heron IslandConferences in this series, in 1991 and 1994.

Attendance will be limited to 100, and participantsshould plan to arrive in Gladstone in time for the cata-maran or helicopter transfer in the morning of July 17.Because of stringent room limitations, early registra-tion and booking of accommodations and transfersare necessary.

heron3.chemistry.uq.edu.au


Coordination Chemistry18–23 July 2004, Mérida, Yucatán, México

The 36th International Conference on CoordinationChemistry will be held in Mérida, Yucatán, México,18–23 July 2004. This conference is a joint meetingorganized by México and the USA, through theMexican Academy of Science and the AmericanChemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry.

The conference program has been divided intoseven sessions that cover all areas of coordinationchemistry, in fundamental and applied research,including theoretical and green chemistry issues. Theseven sessions are as follows: bioinorganic chemistry,nano- and supramolecular chemistry, catalysis, maingroup element coordination chemistry, d and f ele-ment coordination chemistry, functional materials,and reaction mechanisms.

The conference will include 10 plenary lectures and70 session lectures. Large sections of the lecture pro-gram are being reserved for submitted contributions.

Posters, which will be highlighted in three eveningsessions, will be a major focal point of the conference.

Plenary lectures will be given by Jean Claude G.Bünzli, Switzerland; Jinwoo Cheon, Korea; Marcetta Y.Darensbourg, USA; Bart Hessen, The Netherlands;Claudio Luchinat, Italy; Ian Manners, Canada; Daniel G.Nocera, USA; Angeles Paz Sandoval, México; andMartin Schröder, United Kingdom. The deadlines fororal presentations and poster presentations are 16January and 20 February 2004, respectively.

The City of Merida is the capital of Yucatan and theeconomic and cultural center of Southeastern México.Merida, known also as “the White City,” is consideredthe cultural and tourist capital of the Mayan Worldand is near to the beautiful beaches of the Gulf ofMexico, small towns with colonial flavor, and the mostimportant archeological sites of the Mayan culture:Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Mayapán, and Kabah.


www.iccc36.org

Where 2B & Y

Polymer Networks15–19 August 2004, National Institutes ofHealth, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

The Polymer Networks 2004 Conference (17thPolymer Networks Meeting), jointly organized by theNational Institutes of Health (specifi-cally NICHD and NIBIB), and theNational Institute of Standardsand Technology, is part of aseries of biannual interna-tional meetings that beganin Strasbourg, France, in1975. The programs of thesemeetings include contribu-tions from all areas relevant tothe formation, structure, properties,and application of synthetic and natural polymer net-works and gels, but at each meeting particularemphasis is put on a specific topic. The theme for thePolymer Networks 2004 meeting will be “Research ofGelation Phenomena, and Properties of Synthetic andBiopolymer Gels.” The purpose of the conference is toencourage polymer physicists, polymer chemists,

materials scientists, and engineers to apply their mod-els and methods to address targeted biological prob-lems, such as developing models of cell andtissue-level processes, and new methods for measur-ing and controlling biomolecular interactions.

Conference Topics:• Phase Transition in Synthetic and Biopolymer Gels• Associating/Self-Assembly Systems • Polyelectrolytes and Intelligent Gels • Nano-particles in Diagnostics and Therapeutics • Gene and Drug Delivery • Tissue Engineering and Hydrogel Scaffolds • Controlled Synthesis of Networks • Simulation and Modeling of Polymer Networks

Abstracts will be accepted until 1 April, andadvance registration at a discounted fee is availableuntil 15 June.


www.polymer.nichd.nih.gov


Mark Your CalendarUpcoming IUPAC-sponsored eventsSee also www.iupac.org/symposiafor links to specific event Web site

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6–9 January 2004 • Polymer Characterization • Guimaraes, Portugal12th Annual Polychar World Forum on Advanced Materials (POLYCHAR 12)Prof. Antonio M. Cunha, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, P-4800-058 Guimaraes,Portugal, Fax: +351 253510339, E-mail: [email protected]

26–31 January 2004 • Biodiversity and Natural Products • Delhi, IndiaInternational Conference on Biodiversity and Natural Products: Chemistry and Medical Applications (combining ICOB-4 and ISCNP-24)Prof. V. S. Parmar, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India, Tel.: +91 11 2766 6555,Fax: +91 11 2766 7206, E-mail: [email protected]

9–10 March 2004 • Heterocyclic Chemistry • Gainesville, Florida, USA5th Florida Heterocyclic ConferenceProf. Alan R. Katritzky, University of Florida, Dept. of Chemistry, PO Box 117200, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA,Tel.: +1 352 392 0554, Fax: +1 352 392 9199, E-mail: [email protected]

3–8 April 2004 • Macromolecules • Stellenbosch, South AfricaUNESCO Introductory Course (3–4 April) and 7th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on Macromoleculeswith Special Sessions on Polymers in Medicine, Nanotechnology and Degradation (5-8 April)Prof. R. D. Sanderson, UNESCO Associated Centre for Macromolecules & Materials, Institute for PolymerScience, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa, Tel: +27(21) 808-3172,Fax: +27(21) 808-4967, E-mail: [email protected]

17–21 May 2004 • Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins • Bethesda, Maryland, USA11th International Symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins (ISMP-11)Dr. Douglas L. Park (HFS-345), CFSAN, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD, 20740, USA, Tel: +1 301 436 2401, Fax: +1 301 436 2644, E-mail: [email protected]

23–26 May 2004 • Bio-interfaces • Barossa Valley, South Australia, AustraliaThe Ian Wark Research Institute International Conference & Workshop on Physical Chemistry of Bio-InterfacesProf. Hans Griesser, Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus,Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia 5095, Tel.: +61 8 8302 3703, Fax: +61 8 8302 3683, E-mail: [email protected]

1–4 June 2004 • Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics • Seoul, Korea8th World Conference on Biodegradable Polymers and PlasticsProf. S. S. Im, Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong,Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Korea, Tel.: +82-2-2290-0495, Fax: +82-2-2297-5859, E-mail: [email protected]

14–18 June 2004 • π-Electron Systems • Ithaca, New York, USA6th International Symposium on Functional π-Electron SystemsProf. George Malliaras, Materials Science and Engineering, 327 Bard Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY,14853-1501, USA, Tel.: +1 607 255-1956, Fax: +1 607 255-2365, E-mail: [email protected]

27 June–1 July 2004 • Biomolecular Chemistry • Sheffield, United Kingdom7th International Symposium on Biomolecular Chemistry (ISBOC-7)Prof. George M. Blackburn, University of Sheffield, Department of Chemistry, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK, Tel.: +44 114 222 9462, Fax: +[44] 114 273 8673, E-mail: [email protected]

27 June–2 July 2004 • Germanium, Tin, and Lead • Santa Fe, New Mexico, USAXIth International Conference on the Coordination and Organometallic Chemistry of Germanium, Tin, and LeadProf. Keith Pannell, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968-0513, USATel.: +1 915-747-5796, Fax: +1 915-747-5748, E-mail: [email protected]


4–9 July 2004 • Phosphorus Chemistry • Birmingham, United Kingdom16th International Conference on Phosphorus Chemistry (ICPC 16) Prof. Pascal Metivier, Rhodia, R&D for Phosphorous and Performance Derivatives, Oak House, reedsCrescent, Watford, WD24 4QP, UK, Tel.: +44 1923 485609, E-mail: [email protected]

4–9 July 2004 • Macromolecules • Paris, France40th International Symposium on Macromolecules—IUPAC World Polymer Congress (MACRO 2004)Prof. Jean-Pierre Vairon, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères, Case 185, 4Place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris Cédex 05, France, Tel: +33 1 44 27 50 45, Fax: +33 1 44 27 70 89, E-mail: [email protected]

11–15 July 2004 • Polymer Biomaterials • Prague, Czech Republic43rd PMM Microsymposium: Polymer Biomaterials: Biomimetic and Bioanalogous SystemsDrahomir Vyprachticky, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the CzechRepublic, Heyrovskeho nam. 2, CZ-162 06 Praha 6, Czech Republic, Tel.: +420 296 809 332, Fax: +420 296 809 410, E-mail: [email protected]

17–22 July 2004 • Photochemistry • Granada, Spain20th IUPAC Symposium on PhotochemistryProf. Dr. Miguel A. Miranda, Departamento de Química/Instituto de Tecnologia Química UPV-CSIC,Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Avenida de los Naranjos, s/n, E-46022 Valencia, Spain, Tel: + 34 963877807, Fax: + 34 963877809, E-mail: [email protected]

18–21 July 2004 • Chemical Sciences in Changing Times • Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro4th International Conference of the Chemical Societies of the South-Eastern European CountriesProf. Ivanka Popovic, Belgrade University, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade,Serbia and Montenegro, Tel.: +381 11 337 0478, Fax: +381 11 337 0473, E-mail: [email protected]

18–23 July 2004 • Coordination Chemistry • Merida, Yucatan, Mexico36th International Conference on Coordination ChemistryProf. Norah Barba-Behrens, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, UniversidadNacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, México, D. F., 04510, México, Tel./Fax: +52(55)5622-3810, E-mail: [email protected]

18–23 July 2004 • Polymers and Organic Chemistry • Prague, Czech Republic11th International Conference on Polymers and Organic Chemistry 2004 (POC ’04)Dr. Karel Jerabek, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Rozvojova 135, 165 02 Prague 6, CzechRepublic, Tel.: +420 220 390 332, Fax: + 420 220 920 661, E-mail: [email protected]

23–27 July 2004 • Carbohydrates • Glasgow, United Kingdom22nd International Carbohydrate SymposiumProf. E. Hounsell, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, Malet St.,London WC1E7HX, UK, Tel.: + 44 207 631 6238, E-mail: [email protected]

25–29 July 2004 • Solubility Phenomena • Aveiro, Portugal11th International Symposium on Solubility Phenomena, Including Related Equilibrium Processes (11th ISSP)Prof. Clara Magalhaes, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, P-3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal, Tel.: +351 234 401518, Fax: +351 234 370084, E-mail: [email protected]

25–30 July 2004 • Organometallic Chemistry • Vancouver, Canada21st International Conference on Organometallic Chemistry (ICOMC)21st ICOMC Secretariat, Conferences & Accomodation at UBC, 5961 Student Union Boulevard, Vancouver, BC,Canada V6T 2C9, Tel.: +1 604 822-1050, Fax: +1 604 822-1069, E-mail: [email protected]

Mark Your Calendar


1–6 August 2004 • Organic Synthesis • Nagoya, Japan15th International Conference on Organic Synthesis (ICOS-15)Prof. Minoru Isobe, ICOS15 Secretariat, c/o International Communications Specialists, Inc., Sabo Kaikan-bekkan, 2-7-4 Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8646 Japan, Tel: +81-3-3263-6474, Fax: +81-3-3263-7537, E-mail: [email protected]

2–7 August 2004 • Chemistry in Africa • Arusha, Tanzania9th International Chemistry Conference in Africa—Chemistry Towards Disease and Poverty EradicationDr. G. S. Mhinzi, University of Dar es Salaam, Chemistry Department, PO Box 35061, Dar es Salaam,Tanzania, Tel./Fax: +255 22 2410038, E-mail: [email protected]

3–8 August 2004 • Chemical Education • Istanbul, Turkey18th International Conference on Chemical Education (18th ICCE)Prof. Dr. Mustafa L. Berkem, Chairman, Marmara University, Ataturk Faculty of Education, TR- 81040 Goztepe-Istanbul, Turkey, Tel: +90 2163459090/231, Fax: +90 2163388060, E-mail: [email protected]

15–19 August 2004 • Polymers • Bethesda, Maryland, USAPolymer Networks 2004Dr. Ferenc Horkay, Section on Tissue Biophysics and Biomimetics, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 13,Room 3W16E, 13 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Tel: +1 301 435 7229, Fax: +1 301 435 5035, E-mail: [email protected]

15–20 August 2004 • Physical Organic Chemistry • Shanghai, China17th IUPAC Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry (ICPOC-17)Prof. Guo-Zhen Ji, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 FenglinRoad, Shanghai 200032, China, Tel: +86 21-64163300, Fax: +86 21-64166128, E-mail: [email protected]

17–21 August 2004 • Chemical Thermodynamics • Beijing, China18th IUPAC Conference on Chemical ThermodynamicsProf. Haike Yan, Chairman, 18th ICCT c/o Chinese Chemical Society, PO Box 2709, Beijing, 100080, China,Tel.: +86 10 62568157, 86 10 62564020, Fax: +86 10 62568157, E-mail: [email protected]

20–25 August 2004 • Heteroatom Chemistry • Shanghai, China7th International Conference on Heteroatom Chemistry (ICHAC-7)Prof. Lin-xin Dai, ICHAC-7, c/o Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China, Tel: +86-21-64163300- 3405, Fax: +86-21-64166128, E-mail: [email protected]

3–5 September 2004 • Chemistry of Vanadium • Szeged, Hungary4th International Symposium on Chemistry and Biological Chemistry of VanadiumProf. Tamas Kiss, University of Szeged, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, PO Box 440, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary, Tel.: +36 62 544337, Fax: +36 62 420505, E-mail: [email protected]

5–10 September 2004 • Analytical Chemistry • Salamanca, SpainEuropean Conference on Analytical Chemistry—Euroanalysis XIII,Prof. J. Hernández Méndez, Departamento de Química Analítica Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad deSalamanca, E-37008 Salamanca, Spain, Tel./Fax: +34-923-294483, E-mail: [email protected]

12–15 September 2004 • Heterocyclic Chemistry • Sopron, HungaryXXI European Colloquium on Heterocyclic ChemistryProf. György Hajos, Chemical Research Center, Institute of Chemistry, H-1025 Budapest Pusztaszeri ut,Hungary, Tel.: +36 1 3257550, Fax: +36 1 3257863, E-mail: [email protected]

7–8 October 2004 • Trace Elements in Food • Brussels, Belgium2nd International Symposium on Trace Elements in Food (TEF 2)Dr. Michael Bickel, European Commission—Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials andMeasurements, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 57 17 34, Fax: +32 14 57 17 87, E-mail: [email protected]

17–22 October 2004 • Biotechnology • Santiago, Chile12th International Biotechnology Symposium Prof. Juan A. Asenjo, Centre for Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chile, Beauchef 861, Santiago, Chile, Tel.: +56 2 6784288, Fax: +56 2 6991084, E-mail: [email protected]

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17–22 July 2005 • Carotenoids • Edinburgh, Scotland14th International Symposium on CarotenoidsProf. Andrew J. Young, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, John Moores University, Byrom St.Liverpool L3 3AF, UK, Tel.: +44 151 231 2173 / 3575, Fax: + 44 151 207 3224, E-mail: [email protected]

13–21 August 2005 • IUPAC 43rd General Assembly • Beijing, ChinaIUPAC Secretariat, Tel.: +1 919 485 8700, Fax: +1 919 485 8706, E-mail: [email protected]

14–19 August 2005 • IUPAC 40th Congress • Beijing, ChinaInnovation in ChemistryProf. Xibai Qiu, IUPAC-2005 Secretariat, c/o Chinese Chemical Society, PO Box 2709, Beijing 100080,China, Tel.: +86 (10) 62568157, Fax: +86 (10) 62568157, E-mail: [email protected]

11–15 September 2005 • Boron Chemistry • Sendai, Japan12th International Meeting on Boron ChemistryProf. Yoshinori Yamamoto, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University,Sendai, Japan 980-8578, Tel.: +81 22 217 6581, Fax: +81 22 217 6784, E-mail: [email protected]

Visas

It is a condition of sponsorships that organizers ofmeetings under the auspices of IUPAC, in consideringthe locations of such meetings, should take all possiblesteps to ensure the freedom of all bona fide chemistsfrom throughout the world to attend irrespective ofrace, religion, or political philosophy. IUPAC sponsor-ship implies that entry visas will be granted to all bonafide chemists provided application is made not lessthan three months in advance. If a visa is not grantedone month before the meeting, the IUPAC Secretariatshould be notified without delay by the applicant.

How to Apply for IUPAC Sponsorship

Conference organizers are invited to complete anApplication for IUPAC Sponsorship (AIS) preferably 2years and at least 12 months before the Conference.Further information on granting sponsorhsip isincluded in the AIS and is available upon request fromthe IUPAC Secretariat or online at<www.iupac.org/symposia/application.html>.


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