Flow injection-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry configurations: recent developments and trends

This review aims to provide an account of the state-of-the-art, of recently introduced techniques and of future possibilities offered by flow analysis in order to automate sample pretreatment for electrothermal atomic absorpt ion spectrometry (ETAAS). Topics such as on-line solid-liquid extraction, p recipitation, coprecipitation, on-wall retention, solvent extraction and ch emical vapor generation processes are used to illustrate the versatility of coupling flow injection (Fl) for analyte separation and preconcentration i n the flow system or in the atomizer, The use of FI to make the introductio n of slurries and highly viscous samples easier is considered as well as on -line microwave sample digestion. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.