ANALYST, MARCH 1993, VOL. 118 39N Conference Report 19th International Symposium on Chromatography: September 13-1 8, 1992, Aix-en-Provence, France Although there are now a number of series of specialized conferences in various areas of separation science, the 19th meeting in the more wide-ranging series of ‘International Symposia on Chromatography, attracted a large number of delegates. Analysts clearly perceive a need to keep informed of progress in a broadly based set of topics in chromatography and related areas. The lively and informative meeting lived up to expectations. The Symposium began with the award of the Martin and Jubilee Medals of the Chromatographic Society to Professors J. Jorgenson (North Carolina) and K. Markides (Uppsala), respectively. Plenary Lectures were then presented describing the state-of-the-art in: chiral separation (D.W. Armstrong); field-flow fractionation (J. C. Giddings); capillary electro- phoresis in bio-analysis (B. L. Karger); and isoelectric focusing (P. G. Rhighetti). These were followed by 62 oral presentations, some in parallel sessions, spread over five days. A necessarily subjective list of highlights includes: application of capillary GC with atomic emission detection (P. Sandra); narrow-bore capillary GC (V. Packova); analysis of polar substances by SFC (M. B. Evans and T. A. Berger); packed-bed hydrodynamic chromatography (J. C. Kraak); synthesis of functionalized polysiloxane stationary phases (H. Frank); chromatofocusing in protein analysis (C. Horvath); sample introduction in micellar electrokinetic chromato- graphy (J.Vindevogel) ; biosensor and immunospecific detec- tors in liquid chromatography (G. Marko-Varga and F. E. Regnier) ; and coupled solid-phase extraction-GC-ECD in environmental analysis (R. A. Baumann). An increasing emphasis on microcolumn chromatography was evident from lectures by J. F. Chervet and 0. I. Voroshilova. Advances across the chromatographic range were described in over 300 posters. Here, applications dominated, especially in the analysis of environmental, biomedical, food and fuel samples; but practical and instrumental developments were also well to the fore, with new GC and HPLC phases, especially for chiral separations, detectors, coupled methods and chemometrics all strongly represented. Much attention was paid to sample preparation, particularly by supercritical fluid extraction.A poster by F. I. Onuska on microwave- assisted extraction attracted much interest. The conference ended with a comprehensive Plenary Lecture by H. Mandery summarizing and contrasting the application areas of the various chromatographic techniques. Clearly chromatography continues to develop on several fronts and maintains its pre-eminent place in analytical laboratories. The meeting was accompanied by a large exhibition of chromatographic instrumentation and accessories. Notable among these was the launch by Hewlett-Packard of a new instrument for supercritical fluid chromatography. This per- mits simultaneous programming of mobile phase composition, density and temperature. Operation in gas, liquid or super- critical mode is hence possible-the concept of ‘borderless’ chromatography. The 20th International Symposium on Chromatography will be held in Bournemouth, UK, in September 1994. K. D. Bartle School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK LS2 9JT Chirality Medal Nominations are invited for the Chirality Medal to be awarded in 1993 at the 4th International Symposium on Chiral Discrimination in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Chirality Medal was instituted by the Italian Chemical Society in connection with the International Symposium on Chiral Discrimination in Rome in 199 1. This Medal is awarded to recognize distinguished achievement in any aspect of the field of Chiral Discrimination. Nominations, together with a short supporting statement, should be sent before April 30, 1993, to: Professor A.F. Fell, Secretary, Chirality Medal IIonours Committee, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK BD7 IDP.