European analytical column No. 40

Analytical science was proclaimed as a breakthrough science by the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS). Recent developments in this area have supported major advances in the biosciences. The activities of the Division of Analytical Chemistry (DAC) of EuCheMS promotes analytical chemistry, by attracting more young people to study this exciting field of chemistry and increasing general awareness of the importance of the subject. DAC has paid great attention to appropriate education in the subject, which resulted in the Eurocurriculum of analytical chemistry. New journals are introduced nearly every week. Analytical chemists, as members of the worldwide scientific community, have to follow these trends in order not to lose research income and scientific status. Nonetheless, it is important that a balance is found and that outputs are targeted at appropriate journals, demonstrate clear novelty and added value compared with published work and include robust method validation.