Electrochemiluminescence within veterinary science: a review

Veterinary science or veterinary medicine is a diverse and significant field. Concerned not only with the diagnosis and treatment of domestic animals and livestock, but it also places focus upon zoonotic diseases, the development and effectiveness of potential vaccines and the possibility of transmission of veterinary medication or viruses into animal food products. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a powerful analytical technique, which despite its significant intrinsic benefits has not seen enormous adoption into the wider analytical chemical community. In contrast, the veterinary science sector has reaped the merit of ECL as far back as the late 90's and continue to benefit from development of the technique a further three decades later. ECL offers the superb sensitivity, low running costs, rapid results and high reliability required within the veterinary science sector, as such its employment in this area shouldn't be surprising. To this end this article aims to summarise the standing of ECL within the veterinary science field, in an attempt increase the awareness of its successful employment within this area to the electro-analytical and wider analytical chemistry communities. Where it is hope veterinary science will gain recognition as possible end user targets for academic and industrial electrochemical researchers.