Electrochemical Generation of Volatile Compounds for Spectral Analytical Methods

Abstract

A comprehensive review on the history of electrochemical generation of volatile compounds, their usability and working conditions. This method is an alternative to chemical generation methods. The electrochemical generation possesses some advantages like replacement of expensive and unstable reducing agents by electric current and comparable efficiency for all oxidation states of analytes. Despite a lower sensitivity of electrochemical generation, better limits of detection and determination were obtained due to reduced contamination risks associated with the use of reducing agents. The electrochemical generation is a prospective method of decreasing detection limits and miniaturization of hydride generators. The miniature derivatization unit can be used for the coupling of a chromatographic system to selective and sensitive atomic spectral detectors as required by speciation analysis.