  We report the determination from high-resolution spectra of the atmospheric
parameters and abundances of 13 chemical species (among which lithium) in 8
single-lined active binaries. These data are combined with our previous results
for 6 other RS CVn systems to examine a possible relationship between the
photospheric abundance patterns and the stellar activity level. The stars
analyzed are generally found to exhibit peculiar abundance ratios compared to
inactive, galactic disk stars of similar metallicities. We argue that this
behaviour is unlikely an artefact of errors in the determination of the
atmospheric parameters or non-standard mixing processes along the red giant
branch, but diagnoses instead the combined action of various physical processes
related to activity. The most promising candidates are cool spot groups
covering a very substantial fraction of the stellar photosphere or NLTE effects
arising from nonthermal excitation. However, we cannot exclude the possibility
that more general shortcomings in our understanding of K-type stars (e.g.
inadequacies in the atmospheric models) also play a significant role. Lastly,
we call attention to the unreliability of the (V-R) and (V-I) colour indices as
temperature indicators in chromospherically active stars.
