During the last few years,various flow-based separation/preconcentration methodologies have gained pertinent novel advances and exhibited powerful capability in the field of sample pretreatment and their hyphenation with detection by atomic spectrometry.The present mini-review presents and discusses the progress of flow-based sample processing approaches commonly used for the assay of trace elemental species with detection by atomic spectrometry,including preliminary sample pretreatment,solid phase extraction(including solid phase microextraction),liquid-liquid extraction,vapor generation and dialysis techniques.Special emphasis has been paid on the novel applications and analytical procedures hyphenated with atomic spectrometry.The future perspectives of flow-based sample pretreatment protocols in the determination of trace elements and their speciation are also discussed.
