On identifiability for chemical systems from measurable variables

The dynamics of the composition of chemical species in reacting systems can be characterized by a set of autonomous differential equations derived from mass conservation principles and some elementary hypothesis related to chemical reactivity. These sets of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are basically non-linear, their complexity grows as much increases the number of substances present in the reacting media and can be characterized by a set of phenomenological constants (kinetic rate constants) which contains all the relevant information about the physical system. The determination of these kinetic constants is critical for the design or control of chemical systems from a technological point of view but the non-linear nature of the ODEs implies that there are hidden correlations between the parameters which maybe can be revealed with a identifiability analysis.