Atomic absorption spectrometry — pregnant again after 45 years

Because atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) seems to be so simple at first glance, its forthcoming end and replacement by more exciting techniques has been forecasted more than once over the past 45 years. However, AAS has received strong impetus again and again, e.g. by the introduction of the graphite furnace technique, and of flow injection, to mention but a few. Although more and more researchers, and even more instrument manufacturers are turning their back on AAS these days, this author believes that AAS is about to give birth to new offspring in the very near future. The most important ones are solid sampling and speciation analysis on the application side, a much deeper exploitation of the potential of flow injection analysis, the use of diode lasers as radiation sources, and the introduction of continuum-source AAS on the instrumental side. The latter could replace conventional line-source AAS in the foreseeable future because of its obvious advantages in essentially all analytical aspects.