This review article represents the sixth in a series of reviews on CE applied to inorganic analysis, appearing in this journal, and focuses on material published in 2007-2008. As a fundamental review, it examines primarily those documents in which the emphasis is on advances in general CE methodology which are traditionally set on the attainment of higher detection sensitivity and greater preconcentration factors both in capillary and microchip separation formats. Following a major research trend of the previous review period (see A.R. Timerbaev, Electrophoresis 2007, 28, 3420-3425), publications focusing on the quantification of different element species continue to rapidly outpace other applications. A range of practicable separation and detection designs tailor-made to species-selective analysis are critically discussed in order to assess their impact on the rate of development and wide acceptance of CE in the field.