Field-flow fractionation coupled to ICP-MS: separation at the nanoscale, previous and recent application trends

Since its introduction in the early 1990s, the on-line coupling of field-flow fractionation to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (FFF/ICP-MS) has evolved from a "niche" method into an established technique, especially in the field of natural-colloid analysis. Around the turn of the millennium engineered nanomaterials became prominent in research as a result of new properties, and in recent years FFF/ICP-MS has been revealed to be a promising tool for their analysis. Given the beneficial properties of this technique (e.g., no stationary phase, high separation power, multi-elemental capabilities, and high sensitivity) further applications, especially in the field of biomolecule analysis, will be discovered in the near future, and FFF will evolve further as a complementary tool to well-established chromatographic techniques (e.g. high-performance liquid chromatography, size-exclusion chromatography). The focus of this article is on recent application trends of FFF/ICP-MS, revealing the applicability of this technique within several fields of research, especially natural colloids and engineered nanoparticles. Possible future application trends, based on the author's opinion, are outlined in the "Concluding remarks and outlook" section.