Putting the Chemistry Back into Analytical Chemistry

Aspects of the current status of and research in analytical chemistry are briefly discussed and the need for cost effective analytical procedures is emphasized. The present and future of a number of aspects of flow-injection analysis are considered. These include the basic theory, the kinetic features, the control features, time-based methodology, and the coupling of sample pretreatment with instrumentation. Several aspects of this latter topic are con­sidered with particular reference to the flow-injection atomic spectrometry combination. Problems of kinetic mismatch between chemistry, manifold residence, and instrument op­eration are discussed and some possible solutions proposed including the use of closed loop manifolds