KINETIC METHODS OF ANALYSIS - HOW DO THEY RATE

During the past few years there has been a resurgence of interest in k inetic aspects of analytical chemistry and in kinetic methods of analy sis. The increased activity is a result of advances that have been mad e in instrumentation and in data processing techniques. Still, the kin etic approach is not widely applied by practicing analytical chemists. Why is this true? Why are kinetic methods not among the most common m ethods in use by analytical chemistry? This paper discusses the advant ages and limitations of kinetic methods and addresses the probable rea sons that they are not widely used. Several new principles have emerge d that are guiding the development of new kinetic-based determinations . These developments have made it possible to compensate for errors th at result from changes in reaction conditions and to determine accurat ely multiple components in mixtures. With these advances kinetic metho ds are approaching the reliability of traditional equilibrium-based de terminations and should be re-evaluated by analytical chemists.