The European Conference on Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry 1998 (EDXRS-98) was held in Bologna, 7-12 June 1998. It brought together experts from different branches of energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry, those working in basic research into x-ray spectrometry, detectors and sources, and those involved with their applications in different disciplines of science or with the improvement of the technological aspects of the spectrometrical techniques. This conference followed the series initiated in Göteborg in 1984 and 1986 by the pioneering scandinavian groups, and continued later in Vienna, Antwerp, Mikonos, Budapest and Lisbon with biannual occurrence. The growing interest in these conferences of scientists coming first from western Europe, USA and Japan, and later from eastern Europe, was consolidated and enlarged in Bologna, which saw the international participation of 174 delegates representing 36 countries from five continents. For the first time attendees from Albania, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine were welcomed, while the participation from developing countries was enlarged thanks to the special financial effort of the Organising Committee which considered this objective a priority. The atmosphere was friendly and pleasant and reflected the spirit of friendship of this community.
The Session Chairs stimulated the discussion after the more than 160 presentations in the 12 topical areas covered:
Interactions of x-rays with matter and their modelling; Special applications of polarised radiation (synchrotron radiation, x-ray astrophysics); Conventional techniques (XRF, PIXE, sample preparation); Advances in x-ray spectrometry (advanced spectrometers); Data handling and instrumentation (quantitation procedures and software, x-ray sources, beam techniques); Energy dispersive x-ray detectors; Microanalysis with photon sources ( -XRF); Microanalysis with charged particles ( -PIXE, EPMA); x-ray optics, TXRF and capillarity; Specific applications (archaeometry, environment, medicine, material testing, etc.). The intense scientific program of the Conference was made lighter thanks to the excellent level of the 10 invited speakers who offered sound lectures on the relevant topics of their expertise.