Abstract

Fundamental aspects of electrolytic hydride generation (EC-HG) and the application of EC-HG as a sample introduction system in atomic spectrometry are presented. One of the aims of this review is to help the analyst to select the most suitable electrolytic hydride generator and diverse operating parameters, and especially the choice of the cathode material, in relation to the requirements of the analytical problem. The application of EC-HG in speciation analysis of hydride-forming elements is one of the topics of this review. Additionally, the use of EC-HG is critically evaluated as an alternative to wet chemical hydride generation.