For more than 22 years, EVISA has been dedicated to advancing the field of speciation analysis. Its web portal—comprising over 18,000 pages—has been the core infrastructure enabling EVISA to fulfil its mission to:
Disseminate knowledge on speciation analysis
Support industry with practical speciation solutions
Foster discussion and interdisciplinary cooperation
Ensure quality and education in speciation analysis
Increase visibility in policy-making processes
Promote innovative research addressing industrial, health, food, and environmental challenges
Over a period of 21 years, EVISA published 250 newsletters, reaching approximately 3,000 subscribers from all continents. These newsletters provided:
Overviews of developments in elemental speciation related to research, instrumentation, materials, methods, and legislation
Discussions of approximately 700 scientific studies, each linked to an average of 50 additional information sources
Announcements of 326 job opportunities
Information on approximately 800 scientific events organized by expert groups
Notifications of upcoming deadlines relevant to the community
In line with its mission to initiate, coordinate, and support activities in speciation analysis, EVISA acted as an organizer or co-organizer of numerous scientific events, including:
Short Courses: 8
Training Courses and Workshops: 9
Conferences: 5
Notable conferences included:
TraceSpec 2007 (Münster)
TraceSpec 2009 (Mainz)
TraceSpec 2011 (Pau)
Metallomics 2011 (Münster)
European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry 2015 (Münster)
EVISA actively stimulated research in speciation analysis by:
Commenting on research findings in its news section and calling for further investigation (e.g., Cr(VI) in food, inorganic arsenic in rice, mercury in seafood, gadolinium retention in patients after contrast-agent administration)
Educating young scientists through short courses at conferences and workshops
Participating in round-table discussions on topics such as trace element speciation in environmental research and pharmaceutical sciences
Contributing directly to research, including 85 peer-reviewed publications co-authored by EVISA Director Michael Sperling
Serving as a referenced information source in 83 scientific studies
EVISA established a comprehensive relational database system providing information on:
Scientists active in trace element and speciation analysis (300 records)
Certified reference and standard materials (1,300 records)
Analytical instruments (3,130 records)
Components, accessories, and software (200 records)
Companies and organizations (1,700 records)
Scientific journals publishing speciation-related research (4,185 records)
Links to external information sources (2,700 records)
EVISA can be regarded as a true success story that has contributed significantly to the development of speciation analysis. Over the past two decades, speciation analysis has become routine in many laboratories and has been incorporated into regulations for food safety, environmental protection, and occupational health.
While speciation analysis is no longer a primary focus for many instrument manufacturers—having been superseded by emerging fields such as single-cell analysis, imaging mass spectrometry, and the study of contaminants like PFAS and microplastics—it remains an essential and mature analytical approach. Speciation analysis will continue to play a vital role in metallomics, including the study of metalloproteins, and in understanding the biogeochemical cycling of elements in the environment.
We sincerely thank our members for their continuous support over more than two decades—far exceeding the expectations held at EVISA’s founding. We are also grateful to our global user community, which continued to rely on EVISA’s content despite declining visibility caused by outdated web design and the absence of mobile compatibility.
We further acknowledge the early and long-term support of several instrument manufacturers. Unfortunately, the recent withdrawal of this support has made it impossible to sustain EVISA’s activities.
For this reason, EVISA has decided to dissolve the association and to close its web portal at the end of the year.
EVISA thanks all contributors, partners, and users who have been part of this remarkable journey.
Michael Sperling
