Improving the detection sensitivity of chromatography by stochastic resonance

Improving the detection sensitivity of analytical instruments has been a challenging task for chemometricians since undetectability has been almost unavoidable in trace analysis, even under optimized experimental conditions and with the use of modern instruments. Various chemometrics methods have been developed which attempt to address this detection problem but with limited success (e.g., fast Fourier transform and wavelet transform). However, the application of stochastic resonance (SR) creates an entirely new and effective methodology. Stochastic resonance is a phenomenon which is manifested in non-linear systems where a weak signal can be amplified and optimized with the assistance of noise. In this review, we summarize the use of basic SR, optimization of parameters and its modifications, including periodic modulation stochastic resonance (PSRA), linear modulation stochastic resonance (LSRA), single-well potential stochastic resonance (SSR) and the Duffing oscillator algorithm (DOA) for amplifying sub-threshold small signals. We also review the advantages and the disadvantages of various SR procedures.