As an organisation the International Union of Pure and
Applied Chemistry, commonly known just as IUPAC, is usually regarded
as a rather anonymous body. It is mainly known for its apparently
complex nomenclature systems for organic compounds and as the body
which gets into arguments about the naming of new elements. Rather
like the EU it is often incorrectly blamed for some else's interpretation
of its recommendations. Although much of this work has been overtaken
by Chemical Abstracts and the needs of an unambiguous computer searchable
nomenclature system, it still plays an important role.
IUPAC also provides recommends term and definitions for
physical and analytical terms and descriptions, included separation
methods. However, the original definitions in this area were not widely
accepted or used and other bodies, such as ASTM had recommended alternatives.
In many cases there were different symbols in use for the same value
and or the same symbol was used for different values. Rationalising
this type of problem of the harmonisation of terms and expressions
is one of the aims of the IUPAC.
Overall the objectives of IUPAC are :
i. to promote continuing co-operation among the chemists
of the member countries;
ii. to study topics of international importance to pure
and applied chemistry which need regulation, standardisation, or codification;
iii. to co-operate with other international organisations
which deal with topics of a chemical nature;
iv. to contribute to the advancement of pure and applied
chemistry in all its aspects.
To achieve these aims IUPAC is divided into 7 divisions
(Physical, Inorganic, Organic, Macromolecular, Analytical, Environmental,
and Human Health) of which the Analytical
Division is one of the largest. The Analytical Division is further
subdivided into a set of individual Commissions of which V.3 is the
most interesting to chromatographers.
Back to V.3
