ACHIEVEMENT OF THE ANALYTICALLY IDEAL STEADY-STATE RESPONSE AT A MICROELECTRODE-BASED SCANNING ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTOR UNDER FLOW-INJECTION ANALYSIS AND NORMAL-PHASE CHROMATOGRAPHY CONDITIONS

A study of the one-electron reversible ferrocene oxidation process has been made under both flow injection analysis and normal-phase chromat ography conditions in a thin-layer flow cell with a rapid-scanning mic roelectrode-based detector. A flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1, scan rates in the range of 2-10 V s-1, and platinum disk microelectrodes of radii i n the range 5-50 mum enable voltammograms with the theoretically predi cted steady-state characteristics to be obtained. Ready access to the analytically ideal steady-state response and to electrode process char acterization coupled with other advantages available with microelectro des provides the rapid-scanning microelectrode-based detector with sub stantial advantages over many of the more commonly used forms of elect rochemical detection.