Invitation to Apply for an Analytical Skills Development Course in Helsinki, Finland

The Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) of the OPCW wishes to inform Member States that it will hold a course on the development of analytical
skills in 2012. The course is scheduled to be held at the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN) from 1 to 15 June 2012. The aim of the course is to assist qualified analytical chemists from Member States that are either developing or have economies in transition, in acquiring further experience and practical knowledge of the analysis of chemicals related to national implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”); to enhance national capacities in these Member States by offering training in analytical chemistry to personnel from industry, academic institutions, and government laboratories; to facilitate the adoption of good laboratory practices; and to broaden the pool of human resources from which National Authorities and the Secretariat can draw in the future. The course will accommodate 20 participants.

Content of the course

The course will have two parts:

1. The first week will be focused on basic training and on providing hands-on experience in gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass
   spectrometry (GC-MS). Participants will receive theoretical and practical training in GC and GC-MS, covering hardware, system validation and optimisation, and trouble-shooting.
2. The focus during the second week will be on the preparation of environmental samples and on GC and GC-MS analyses of such samples for chemicals related to the Convention. During this week, participants will be provided with intensive hands-on training in the preparation of different sample matrices for later analysis by GC with element-selective detectors and by GC-MS in electron-impact and chemical-ionisation modes. Participants will also be introduced to a range of extraction, clean-up, and derivatisation procedures.