Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry - BRJAC - Brazilian Journal ...

has developed before the hardware, and often as
much as a decade can pass between discovery
and commercialization. After more than 40 years
the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) has set new
standards for accurate and precise measurements
of elements, isotopes, and metal-containing compounds
in agrochemicals, forensics, manufacturing
electronics, medicine, metallomics, and nanotechnology.
Combined with laser ablation, ICP emission
and mass spectroscopies have revolutionized
biogeosciences, geochemistry, paleoceanography,
sclerochronology, and medical imaging. Remote
sensing with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
has moved elemental analysis from the laboratory
to Mars. Ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry
has stimulated the direct mass analysis of
solid, liquid, and gaseous samples. Applications of
glow discharges have introduced quantitative surface
profiling and novel imaging capabilities of various
advanced materials.
in t h E n E x t y E a r s, w h a t is t h E
m a i n ta r g E t to t h E a n a ly t i-
C a l C h E m i s t s in yo u r P o i n t o f
v iE w?
In the near future, analytical
chemists will continue their
quest for new measurement
theory, novel instrumentation,
quantitative applications of
new physical and chemical phenomena
(e.g., nanomaterials),
and improved performance (e.g.,
lower limits of detection for ultra-trace quantities,
improved accuracy, species-specific and interference-free
determinations, selectivity, specificity).
For instance, Freddy Adams* suggested that the
milestones of detection limits will decrease from
the attogram (ag, 10 -18 g) level in the 1990’s, and
zeptogram (zg, 10 -21 g) levels in the 2000’s to yoc-
www.brjac.com.br
“The main challenges is to
achieve and then maintain
an international level of
analytical chemistry research
coupled with industrial
adoption and support of
new analytical chemistry
methodology as well
as appropriate national
legislation for consumer and
environmental protection
and safety.”
intErviEw
togram (yg, 10 -24 g) levels in the 2010’s, for example,
with ultra-sensitive nanotube mass sensors
providing single yg mass resolution at room temperature.
Another trend is micro total analysis systems
(µTSA) wherein a chip-size microdevice (i.e.,
lab-on-a-chip) automates and includes all necessary
steps for chemical analysis of a sample (e.g.,
sampling, sample transport, filtration, dilution,
chemical reactions, separation and detection).
wE a r E a w a r E o f yo u r Big i n t E r E s t in Br a zil
a n d w E aPPrECiatE t h E m a n y Co n t r i B u t i o n s yo u
B r o u g h t to u s. wh at d o yo u t h i n k a r E t h E m o s t
i mP o r t a n t r EsE a rCh l i n E s h E r E a n d w h a t w o u l d
BE t h E BEst Co n t r i B u t i o n o f Br a zi l i a n r EsE a rCh-
Ers to a n a ly tiC a l C h E m i s t r y?
Analytical chemistry in Brazil has grown remarkable
during the past decade from a few, very
prominent institutions and researchers, to numerous
educational and research programs in new
federal and state universities. Bra-
zilian analytical chemistry has
a well-established reputation,
and its heritage is apparent in
these active research programs,
Brazilian and international conference
presentations, and literature
publications in respected
journals. For example, Ferreira
et al.** reviewed current developments
in Brazilian analytical
chemistry (circa 2004 - 2008) including
automation, chemometrics,
chromatography, electrochemistry, environmental
analysis, sample treatment, and spectrochemistry,
and they highlighted contributions from the major
Brazilian groups.
What appears to me as remarkable is that some former-student
authors in these reviewed papers have
since developed their own very productive research
[*] To see a presentation about detection limits in analytical chemistry, visit: http://www.udias.be/userfiles/file/adams_
udias312.pdf.
[**] To access the studies by Fatibello-Filho et al.. and Ferreira et al.. cited by professor Barnes, please visit: www.scielo.br/
scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-40422002000800010 and http://jbcs.sbq.org.br/jbcs/2009/vol20_n10/01-
09765RV.pdf.
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