Automatic pre-concentration and treatment for the analysis of environmental samples using non-chromatographic flow techniques

Abstract

In this work a brief description and a comparative review of different non-chromatographic flow analytical methods following their historical evolution are carried out with the aim to assess both the advantages and disadvantages of the methods.

In addition, a comparative study of different clean up and pre-concentration techniques used the above methods to achieve the selectivity and sensitivity required in environmental applications, is also carried out.

The possibilities offered by commuted flow techniques for the development of expert systems capable of selecting the most adequate procedures regarding the resolution of speciation problems – with or without involving pre-concentration of analytes, are considered.

Finally, several existing computer programs are referred to, discussing the advantages of those capable of satisfying the needs of all flow techniques, without requiring a specific program for each case.

The above-mentioned developments are illustrated by the description of various analytical methodologies.

Keywords:

• Flow analysis
• FIA
• SIA
• MSFIA
• MCFIA
• MPS
• Pre-concentration
• Environmental samples

Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Technology, through projects CTQ2004-03256/BQU and CTQ2004-01201/BQU.