The European Virtual Institute for Speciation Analysis (EVISA) was established in 2003 to promote the field of speciation analysis by informing the scientific community about its capabilities, developments, and challenges. After more than 22 years of continuous activity—during which speciation analysis has become routine in many laboratories and has been incorporated into regulations for food safety, environmental protection, and occupational health—the question inevitably arises: Is such a promotion and information platform still needed?
Over the years, an ever-growing community has turned to EVISA’s internet portal for reliable information. Today, the site hosts nearly 18,000 pages of content. This month alone, we expect to welcome around one million users, and in 2024 the platform recorded approximately 2.83 million visitors. Yet behind these impressive numbers lies a striking shift in user behaviour. While visitors once viewed an average of 8–10 pages per session, this year they browse only 3–4 pages. At the same time, AI-driven systems have extensively crawled the site, capturing and repurposing its content—providing answers directly to AI users rather than directing them to the original EVISA platform.
An even more significant challenge is the decline in support from instrument manufacturers. Over recent years, many companies have shifted their focus to other, more fashionable analytical topics. As a result, financial and content-related contributions have decreased substantially. This impacts our ability to maintain high-quality information, including links to instrumentation relevant for speciation analysis, application notes, and other manufacturer-provided resources—material we can only offer in cooperation with engaged industry partners.
EVISA began as an EU-funded project and later became an association of institutions, organisations, and companies committed to advancing speciation analysis. However, many of the original representatives have since retired, and several member organisations have ended their involvement.
The EVISA portal itself—unchanged in design since its inception—has become outdated, both in appearance and in regard to modern security standards. Unfortunately, the remaining support is insufficient to update the portal or to sustain its services. The association has therefore made the difficult decision to discontinue the platform at the end of the year.
We are currently exploring whether parts of the EVISA content can be transferred to other platforms that serve the community. We will inform you as soon as a viable solution has been identified.
In the meantime, we warmly welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. Your feedback remains invaluable to us.
Michael Sperling
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last time modified: November 15, 2025
