Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Based on Self-absorption in the Flame and Using the Flame as a Light Emission Source

Abstract

A method of flame ato mic absorption analysis has been developed which does not need a light source, such as hollow-cathode lamp, wh ich to produce the radiation absorbed by the analyte atoms. Light emission fro m the analyzed atoms in the flame can serve as a light source because this emission has the same wave length as the resonance absorption line of the unexcited analyte atoms. At certain conditions, in the flame can take place an absorption process known as self-absorption. In the work self-absorption occurring in the flame is used to determine absorbance. Absorbance is calculated fro m the flame emission intensity signal of the analyte atoms. A co mputer program is specially created to calculate absorbance, to draw the calibration curve and to co mpute the analyte concentration. For safety purposes ethyl alcohol is used as a flame fuel and is applied as an alcohol vapor / air flame. Because this flame has low temperature, only lithiu m, potassium, sodium, calciu m, bariu m is able to be analyzed.