Chemistry International
Vol. 21, No.3, May 1999

1999, Vol. 21
No. 3 (May)
.. News from IUPAC
.. Other Societies
.. Reports from Symposia
.. 1997 Accounts
.. New Books and Publications
.. Provisional Recommendations
.. Reports from Commissions
.. Awards
.. Conference Announcements
.. Conferences

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Chemistry International
Vol. 21, No. 3
May 1999

News from IUPAC

IUPAC Delegate Report from 24th Scientific Committee on Oceanic Resaerch (SCOR) Assembly

Amsterdam, Netherlands,
1 - 6 November 1998

Professor David Turner (Department of Analytical and Marine Chemistry, Goteborg University, SE-412 96 Goteborg, Sweden; E-mail: [email protected]), IUPAC delegate to the 24th SCOR Assembly held in Amsterdam 1 - 6 November 1998, has submitted the following report:

A written report briefly summarizing IUPAC's marine-related activities was submitted to SCOR in advance of the Assembly (see below). I presented the report to the SCOR Assembly, and reported that the planning group on sea salt solubilities (Commission V.9) was still considering whether and how to prepare a proposal for financial support from SCOR.

SCOR invited IUPAC to consider a future joint project on estuarine particles, which had been the subject of a SCOR Working Group in the late 1990s. This group had not been able to produce a final report, in part owing to lack of a conceptual framework in which to synthesize a diverse range of field observations. SCOR considered that a new initiative in this area would be timely, and invited IUPAC to consider establishing this initiative as a second joint project. I gave a personal view that estuarine particles would be an excellent subject for a volume in the IUPAC series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems, produced by Commission VI.1, and undertook to explore the matter further with this Commission with a view to being able to present an outline proposal to the IUPAC and SCOR meetings in summer/autumn 1999.

While in Amsterdam, I also acted as IUPAC co-chair of the joint IUPAC-SCOR Working Group on marine biogeochemistry of iron (SCOR WG109). The Working Group met over two days to review the seven draft chapters that had been submitted and circulated to all Working Group members in advance of the meeting. For each chapter, the discussion was led by a previously appointed lead reviewer, but the whole group was fully involved in the review process, leading to intensive and constructive working group sessions. The revised chapters, after further review and editing, will be published in the IUPAC series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems, with publication planned for late 1999. Although production of this book had been planned as the final activity of the Working Group, an ad hoc group met to discuss the need for standard materials for low iron concentrations in seawater, and for other intercalibration and validation activities related to iron measurements. SCOR agreed to support a small workshop meeting on this topic in early 1999 as a further activity of WG109. No direct IUPAC involvement in this activity is planned.

The Working Group's meeting was preceded by an international symposium on the marine biogeochemistry of iron. This symposium was sponsored by SCOR and attracted leading researchers from all around the world. The symposium provided a very stimulating introduction and complement to the Working Group meeting.

In conclusion, I consider that the collaboration between IUPAC and SCOR in the area of marine chemistry is proving to be very productive and a benefit to both organizations.

Report of IUPAC Activities Relevant to SCOR
Several IUPAC Commissions have current projects of interest to SCOR; these projects are briefly summarized below.

Commissions V.2 (Microchemical Techniques), VI.1 (Fundamental Environmental Chemistry), and VII.C.2 (Toxicology).

These three commissions are jointly developing guidelines for terms related to chemical speciation and fractionation of trace elements. A draft manuscript is now undergoing internal review within IUPAC.

Commission V.6 (Equilibrium Data)

A project entitled "Influence of pressure on chemical equilibria in aqueous solutions-with particular reference to sea water" has resulted in a paper which is now undergoing internal review within IUPAC prior to publication.

Commission V.8 (Solubility Data)

The project "Solubilities of oceanic salt systems and related systems" is still in the planning stage. A report from the latest project group meeting held in August 1998 is not available at the time of writing.

Commission VI.1 (Fundamental Environmental Chemistry)

This Commission is co-sponsor of SCOR WG109 and has one other project relevant to SCOR. Volume 6 in the IUPAC series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems is entitled In situ Analytical Techniques for Water and Sediments. This volume is currently in preparation; a workshop meeting to review draft chapters was held in July 1998. The book includes applications in both fresh and saline waters.

 

 

 

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