Probing the chemical abundances in distant galaxies with 10 m class telescopes

The determination of chemical abundances in star forming galaxies and the study of their evolution on cosmological timescales are powerful tools for understanding galaxy formation and evolution. This contribution presents the latest results in this domain. We show that detailed studies of chemical abundances in UV-selected, H II and starburst nucleus galaxies, together with the development of new chemical evolution models, put strong constraints on the evolutionary stage of these objects in terms of star formation history. Finally, we summarize our current knowledge of the chemical properties of distant galaxies. Although the samples are still too small for statistical studies, these results give an insight into the nature and evolution of distant star forming objects and their link with present-day galaxies. No doubt that the next large scale spectroscopic surveys on 10 m class telescopes will shed light on these fundamental issues.