Prospects in Analytical Atomic Spectrometry

Tendencies in five main branches of atomic spectrometry (absorption, emission, mass, fluorescence and ionization spectrometry) are considered. The first three techniques are the most widespread and universal, with the best sensitivity attributed to atomic mass spectrometry. In the direct elemental analysis of solid samples, the leading roles are now conquered by laser-induced breakdown and laser ablation mass spectrometry, and the related techniques with transfer of the laser ablation products into inductively-coupled plasma. Advances in design of diode lasers and optical parametric oscillators promote developments in fluorescence and ionization spectrometry and also in absorption techniques where uses of optical cavities for increased effective absorption pathlength are expected to expand. Prospects for analytical instrumentation are seen in higher productivity, portability, miniaturization, incorporation of advanced software, automated sample preparation and transition to the multifunctional modular architecture. Steady progress and growth in applications of plasma- and laser-based methods are observed. An interest towards the absolute (standardless) analysis has revived, particularly in the emission spectrometry.Comment: Proofread copy with an added full reference list of 279 citations. A pdf version of the final published review may be requested from Alexander Bol'shakov <[email protected]

Algebraic lattices of solvably saturated formations and their applications

In each group G, we select a system of subgroups τ(G) and say that τ is a subgroup functor if G∈τ(G) for every group G, and for every epimorphism φ:A→B and any H∈τ(A) and T∈τ(B), we have Hφ∈τ(B) and Tφ−1∈τ(A). We consider only subgroup functors τ such that for any group G all subgroups of τ(G) are subnormal in G. For any set of groups X, the symbol sτ(X) denotes the set of groups H such that H∈τ(G) for some group G∈X. A formation F is τ-closed if sτ(F)=F. The Frattini subgroup Φ(G) of a group G is the intersection of all maximal subgroups of G. A formation F is said to be solvably saturated if it contains each group G with G/Φ(N)∈F for some solvable normal subgroup N of G. Composition formations are precisely solvably saturated formations. It is shown that the lattice of all τ-closed totally composition formations is algebraic