ABSTRACT
Liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LCEC) is in widespread use for the trace determination of easily oxidizable and reducible organic compounds. Detection limits at the 0.1-pmol level have been achieved for a number of oxidizable compounds. Due to problems with dissolved oxygen and electrode stability, the practical limit of detection for easily reducible substances is currently about 10-fold less favorable. As with all detectors, such statements of the minimum detectable quantity must be considered only with the proverbial grain of salt. Detector performance varies widely with the analyte and the chromatographic conditions. For example, the use of 100-µm-diameter flow systems can bring attomole detection limits within reach, but today this is not a practical reality.
