ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY DIVISION
COMMISSION ON GENERAL ASPECTS OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY*
Concepts and applications of the term "dimensionality"
in analytical chemistry (IUPAC Technical Report)
Klaus Danzer1,*, Jacobus F. van Staden2, and Duncan Thorburn
Burns3
1Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry,
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Lessingstrasse 8, D-07743 Jena,
Germany; 2Department of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria,
0002, South Africa; 3Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Queen's
University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, N. Ireland, UK
Abstract: The term "dimensionality" has
been used by the analytical chemistry community with several meanings.
On different occasions, analysts speak about "two-dimensional"
analytical methods, for example, 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy,
2D thin-layer chromatography, "two-dimensional" or "three-dimensional"
analytical information [1], "two-dimensional" or "three-dimensional"
images in surface analytical chemistry, and of "m-dimensional"
analytical data [2] obtained, for example, as a result of multicomponent
analyses. These examples show that the use of the term "dimensionality"
is at times contradictory. This confused position does not promote the
unequivocal application of the term "dimensionality" in analytical
chemistry. The aim of this document is to provide a concept for the
use of the term "dimensionality" as it is related to analytical
information.
* Corresponding author.
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