time. Included in this review are fundamental processes and 1.2.4. Interferences instrumentation in the areas of atomic absorption and atomic 1.2.4.1. Spectral interferences fluorescence spectrometry, together with advances in related 1.2.4.2. Chemical modifiers-general techniques such as atomic magneto-optical rotation 1.2.4.3. Chemical modifiers-palladium spectrometry and laser-enhanced ionization. The review of 1.2.4.4. Other chemical modifiers Atomic Emission Spectrometry may be found in J. Anal. At. 1.2.5. Developments in technique Spectrom., 1997, 12, 263R. Once again this year a number of 1.3. Chemical Vapour Generation changes have been implemented to aid presentation. Following 1.3.1. Hydride generation the inclusion of tables to present information in Section 1.2. 1.3.1.1. General studies of fundamentals, techniques and Electrothermal Atomization last year, we have continued the instrumentation practice in this year's review to facilitate easier and quicker 1.3.1.2. Determination of individual elements access to material. The sub-headings have also been modified 1.3.2. Mercury by cold vapour generation to reflect the material presented in the review, although in 1.3.3. Volatile organic compound generation and metal general the format is the same as in previous years. This year vapour separation for the first time references are present in the standard format. 1.4. Spectrometers Comments as to these changes and possible improvements for 1.4.1. Light sources future reviews are welcomed by the review coordinator. 1.4.2. Continuum source and simultaneous multi-element AAS 1. ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY 1.4.3. Background correction 1.1. Flame Atomization 1.4.4. Detectors 1.5.Instrument Control and Data Processing Over the past year there have been few developments of note 1.5.1. Instrument control in the field of pure FAAS. Nevertheless, flames continue to 1.5.2. Data processing play a major part in the applications of AAS to analytical problems. In last year's Atomic Spectrometry Updates1 flames were used in 42% of papers devoted to applications; in the *Review Co-ordinator, to whom correspondence should be addressed.same period electrothermal atomization was used in 45% and
