28th International Symposium on Advances in Extraction Technologies (ExTech 2026)

The ExTech symposium series (International  Symposium on Advances in Extraction Technologies) is the premier international event in analytical chemistry, focusing on the areas of sampling and sample preparation.  

The idea of creating this worldwide conference started in 1999 by Professor Janusz Pawliszyn (University of Waterloo, Canada). Since then, the symposium has travelled annually around the world.

Its program covers all aspects of sampling and sample preparation, including fundamentals, new materials & technologies, miniaturization, automation & robotics, quality assurance, sustainability assessments, and a wide range of applications. In 2026, we anticipate a focus on hyphenated techniques and direct MS, as well as on the increased role of Artificial Intelligence in the analytical workflow.

The symposium will be held in the historical site of the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech faculty, a beautiful old abbey that now hosts a vibrant research environment. Besides the scientific program, we will offer you plenty of possibilities to network with colleagues in a cosy atmosphere and with amusing social events.

So join us at EXTECH2026, we are excited to welcome you!

Registration

Registration form

Registration fees

Regular (After May 1st)

• Regular registration: 550 €
• Student registration*: 350 €
• Accompanying person: 200 €

Courses          

• 1 half-day course: 220 €
• 2 half-day courses: 320 €
• 1 full-day course: 320 €

*Proof of enrollment as a student or doctoral candidate must be sent to [email protected] to confirm status.

The fee includes: coffee breaks, lunches, social events, and materials (except for accompanying persons).

For course‑only participants, only coffee breaks and lunches are included.

Sessions (Topics)

• Artificial Intelligence at the service of sample preparation: Use of AI to support the development of methods and data elaboration
• Automation & Robotics: Integration of automated systems and robotics to streamline and enhance analytical workflows.
• Bio Analysis: Innovations in biological sample handling and preparation for clinical and research applications.
• Emerging contaminants analysis (PFAS; microplastic): State-of-the-art approaches for identifying and quantifying emerging pollutants in the environment.
• Environmental Analysis: Analytical solutions for monitoring and addressing environmental contaminants and their impact.
• Food Analysis: Techniques for ensuring food safety, authenticity, and quality through precise sample preparation.
• General Session: New areas of research or approaches not covered in other sessions
• Green&Sustainable Analytical Chemistry: Sustainable and eco-friendly approaches to reduce the environmental impact of sample preparation.
• Hyphenated technique: Direct coupling with MS; LC-GC; SFC-GC, etc
• Miniaturization: Advancements in compact and portable technologies for on-site and high-throughput analysis.
• New Materials & Technologies: Development and application of advanced materials for enhanced extraction and analytical performance.
• Industrial analysis: Tailored methods for quality control and process monitoring in industrial applications.
• Sampling Approaches: Innovative techniques for efficient and accurate sampling across various matrices.
• Sensors: Sample preparation for sensor analysis
• Theoretical & Fundamental Aspects of Extraction Technologies: Exploration of the principles and mechanisms underpinning extraction processes.

Program

Speakers

Opening plenary lecture

“Exposomics: extracting biological insight from human samples”

• Gary W. Miller (Columbia University, New York, USA)

Biography:

Dr. Miller serves as Vice Dean for Research Strategy and Innovation, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Professor of Molecular Pharmacolgy and Therapeutics, and Director of the Center for Innovative Exposomics at Columbia University. Dr. Miller is a leader in the field of exposomics, which studies the comprehensive and cumulative effects of physical, chemical, biological, and social factors that influence biology and health. He leads NEXUS, the NIH-funded coordinating center for exposomics in the U.S. and is an Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. As the holder of the International Collen-Francqui Professorship, Dr. Miller has spent much of 2026 giving lectures and developing collaborations with investigators across Belgium, including Gent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Hasselt University, and the University of Liège.

Closing plenary lecture

“Development, Challenges and Future of Non-exhaustive Partitioning Technologies”

• Janusz Pawliszyn (University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada)

Biography:

Janusz Pawliszyn, a professor at the University of Waterloo, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is one of the top analytical scientists in the world, as the inventor of solid-phase microextraction and imaged capillary isoelectric focusing. Both techniques have been successfully commercialized and adopted in various research and industry fields. He is the chief editor of Trends in Analytical Chemistry and Green Analytical Chemistry. He is one of the highest cited analytical chemists in the world with an H-index of 137, over 750 papers, and more than 87000 citations.  He is the founder of the ExTech Symposium series.

Tutorial lecture

“From green chemistry to sustainable chemistry“

• Klaus Kümmerer (Leuphana University Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany)

Biography:

Klaus Kümmerer is Director of the Institute of Sustainable Chemistry (https://www.leuphana.de/en/institutes/isec.html). His research and teaching are focused on Green Chemistry, Sustainable Chemistry, Green Pharmacy, Sustainable Pharmacy, Water Chemistry, Benign by Design, Material Resources, Ecology of Time. He is founding editor and editor in Chief of the scientific journals "Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy" and "Current Opinion of Sustainable Chemistry" and editor of "Environmental Pollution" (all Elsevier). He developed and leads the worldwide unique extra-occupational online study programs “Sustainable Chemistry (Master of Science)” and “Managing Sustainable Chemistry” (Master of Business Administration) at Leuphana University. In 2021 he ranked first in Germany, 10th worldwide in Environmental Science, 12th in 2025. He received several national and international awards for his interdisciplinary work, for example the prestigious Wöhler Award for Sustainable Chemistry by Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) in 2023. In 2024 he has been decorated with the Verdienstkreuz am Bande der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ("Bundesverdienstkreuz", Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany, awarded by the President of Germany). In 2024 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), in 2025 he received honorary doctorates from University of Gent and University of Helsinki. Klaus Kümmerer serves and served in national and international committees e.g. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Global Chemical Outlook by UNEP and the EU Technology Platform SusChem Europe, and as member of the European Commission’s High Level Roundtable on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, Lower Saxony Commission on Circular Economy, and Commission for Sustainability of the German Chemical Society.

Sponsors

28th International Symposium on Advances in Extraction Technologies - Silver sponsors

28th International Symposium on Advances in Extraction Technologies: Bronze sponsors

Venue

The symposium will be held at the University of Liège in Gembloux.

• Gembloux Agro Bio Tech
• Espace Senghor
• Avenue de la faculté d'agronomie 11
• 5030 Gembloux