Timo Beskers​​​​​​​

Laboratory Team Leader

BASF

Timo Beskers began his career in polymer chromatography with his master's thesis at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in 2010 and earned his PhD in 2014, focusing on chemically sensitive detectors for size exclusion chromatography (SEC). He gained experience with infrared spectroscopy and QCL lasers during a research internship at TU Vienna in 2012. His postdoc at Stellenbosch University involved field flow fractionation. Subsequently, he worked at PSS Polymer Standards Service GmbH, enhancing his industrial expertise in polymer analytics. Currently, he leads an SEC laboratory at BASF, specializing in method development for regulatory compliance.

Polymer Regulation in the EU: A Polymer Chromatography Viewpoint on What to Expect

Polymer materials exhibit broad property distributions, particularly in molecular weight, which are crucial for their versatile applications. However, this variability poses analytical challenges, especially as polymers contribute significantly to global waste, raising environmental concerns. The European Commission's Green Deal emphasizes polymer risk assessment, leading to expected changes in REACh regulations that will complicate polymer registration processes. Key characteristics like molecular weight distribution must be analyzed using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), though no universal methods exist for all polymers. This talk will focus on Polymer REACh implications for analytical chemists, highlighting the need for standardized, efficient methods to address regulatory requirements.

We create chemistry for a sustainable future.

At BASF, they create chemistry for a sustainable future. Their ambition: We want to be the preferred chemicals company to enable our customers' green transformation. They combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The BASF Group employs around 112,000 employees, more than 1,200 of whom work in the Netherlands. They contribute to the success of BASF customers in almost all sectors and almost all countries in the world.

Their portfolio includes, as core activities, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions and Nutrition & Care; their stand-alone businesses are bundled in the Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions segments.

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