Flow injection analysis (FIA) is a technique used in analytical chemistry for the automated analysis of chemical analysis. It involves the continuous flow of a sample and reagent(s) through a flow path, without any sample preparation steps, which facilitates rapid and high-throughput analysis. FIA is often used for routine analysis in various fields, such as environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical analysis, and food quality control.
In flow injection analyses, a sample is introduced into a flowing carrier stream, which transports it to one or more sample processing units. These units may include mixing chambers, reactors, or detection systems. Reagents can be added to the carrier stream at specific points to initiate chemical reactions or create detectable species. The analysis is achieved by monitoring changes in a physical property of the flowing sample, such as absorbance, fluorescence, conductivity, or voltammetry. The detection system can be a photometric detector, a spectrophotometer, or an electrochemical sensor, depending on the type of analysis.
FIA offers several advantages over traditional batch analysis methods, including reduced reagent consumption, shorter analysis time, and improved precision and accuracy. It also enables the sequential analysis of multiple samples without any manual intervention. FIA systems can be easily automated, leading to enhanced sample throughput and decreased operator variability.
Overall, flow injection analysis is a versatile analytical technique that allows for rapid, automated, and cost-effective analysis of a wide range of compounds in various sample matrices.
