Speciation Analysis Basic Steps

Basic techniques for speciation analysis are typically composed of a succession of analytical steps, e.g. extraction either with organic solvents (e.g. toluene, dichloromethane) or different acids (e.g. acetic or hydrochloric acid), derivatisa-tion procedures (e.g. hydride generation, Grignard reactions), separation (gas chromatography (GC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)), and detection by a wide variety of methods, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), mass spectrometry (MS), flame photometric detection (FPD), electron capture detection (ECD), etc. Each of these steps includes specific sources of error which have to be evaluated. 

Chapter 2 discusses several aspects of speciation analysis, e.g. definitions, existing regulations and sources of errors likely to occur at various steps of the analytical procedures. It is followed by Chapter 3 describing general principles of improvement schemes (organizational aspects) and basic requirements to be followed for the certification of reference materials. 

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