Atomic spectrometry update. Advances in atomic emission, absorption and fluorescence spectrometry, and related techniques

This review covers a relatively mature area of atomic spectrometry, hence there are fewer new developments than in newer research fields. It should be read in conjunction with the previous year’s review1 and with other related reviews in the series.2–6 There is still considerable published work in the area of sample introduction, mostly concerning sample pre-concentration and/or matrix removal. Despite the maturity of most of the techniques in this review the sample matrix clearly still presents a problem, with every sample being different. Chemical vapour generation is an area which has experienced resurgence over the last few years, with mechanistic studies and research into the formation of volatile transition metal compounds to the fore. There also continues to be considerable activity in the fields of LIBS, particularly fundamental studies, and coupled chromatography and atomic spectroscopy for speciation studies.