An original strategy to evaluate analytical procedures is proposed and applied to verify if the flow-based methods, generally favorable in terms of green chemistry, are competitive when their evaluation also relies on other criteria. To this end, eight methods for the determination of zinc in waters, including four flow-based ones, were compared and the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) model was exploited. This model takes into account several features related to the general quality of an analytical method, namely, its analytical efficiency, compliance with the green analytical chemistry, as well as practical and economic usefulness. Amongst the investigated methods, the best was the flow-based spectrofluorimetric one, and a negative example was that one involving a flow module, ICP ionization and MS detection, which was very good in analytical terms, but worse in relation to other aspects, which significantly limits its overall potential. Good assessments were also noted for non-flow electrochemical methods, which attract attention with a high degree of balance of features and, therefore, high versatility. The original attempt to confront several worldwide accepted analytical strategies, although to some extent subjective and with limitations, provides interesting information and indications, establishing a novel direction towards the development and evaluation of analytical methods.
Keywords: RGB model; flow analysis; green analytical chemistry; method assessment; validation; zinc determination in waters.