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CE528 - Environmental Chemistry & Microbiology

Atomic absorption spectrometry is a technique used to determine the concentration of metal elements in solutions. It works by vaporizing the sample into free atoms and measuring how much light of a specific wavelength is absorbed. The amount of absorption is directly related to the concentration of the metal. Some key applications of atomic absorption spectrometry include water analysis, food analysis, analysis of soils and clinical analysis of blood samples. It is a highly sensitive technique that can detect elements down to the parts-per-billion level.

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23 views

CE528 - Environmental Chemistry & Microbiology

Atomic absorption spectrometry is a technique used to determine the concentration of metal elements in solutions. It works by vaporizing the sample into free atoms and measuring how much light of a specific wavelength is absorbed. The amount of absorption is directly related to the concentration of the metal. Some key applications of atomic absorption spectrometry include water analysis, food analysis, analysis of soils and clinical analysis of blood samples. It is a highly sensitive technique that can detect elements down to the parts-per-billion level.

Uploaded by

AKANKSHA
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CE528 .

Environmental Chemistry &


Microbiology
AAS
INVENTION
• Introduced in 1955 by Alan Walsh in Australia
• Firstly used for mining, medical treatment & agriculture
• Alan Walsh (1916-1998)
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
Atomic Absorption Spectrometer
• Atomic absorption spectrometers have 4 principal components
1 A light source (usually a hollow cathode lamp)
2 An atom cell (atomizer )
3 A monochromator
4 A detector, and read out device
PROPERTIES OF AAS

• The most widely used method in analysis of elements


• Based on the absorption of radiation
• Highly sensitive (ppb)
• Quantitative analysis
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF AAS
• Electrons promote to higher orbitals for a short amount of time by absorbing energy
• M + hv → M*
• Beer-Lambert Law
A= a.b.c
INSTRUMENTATION
LIGHT SOURCES
Hollow Cathode Lamps
• Anode-Tungsten wire
• Cathode made from the element of interest (Na, K, Ca..)
• Argon or neon gas
ATOMIZATION

• Compounds making up the sample are broken into free atoms


• High temperature is necessary
• Two types
-Flame atomizer
-Electrothermal atomizer
TYPES OF ATOMIZERS
FLAME ATOMIZER
• Simplest atomization
• Converts analyte into free atoms of vapor phase
• Flammable & caustic gases
TYPES OF ATOMIZERS
ELECTROTHERMAL ATOMIZER
• A cylindirical graphite tube
• Inert gas medium (Argon gas)
• Longer anlaysis time than flame
• Superior sensitivity, high accuracy
MONOCHROMATOR

• Also it is called wavelengh selector


• Select the specific wavelenght
• Polychromatic light →monochromatic light
• Simple one is enough for AAS
DETECTOR
• Electromagnetic waves → electric current
• The most used one Photomultiplier tube
• Have fast response times
CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES

• Two main techniques

Calibration curve method


Standard addition method
CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES
CALIBRATION CURVE METHOD

• Draw a graph
• Have two or more variables
-One is set at known values
-One is measured response

• Most convenient for a large number of similar samples analysis.


CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES

An example of calibration curve method


CALIBRATION TECHNIQUES
STANDARD ADDITION METHOD

• To measure the analyte concentration in a complex


matrix.

• Most convenient for small number of samples


analysis

• Prevent effect of chemical & spectral interferences


INTERFERENCES

• Causes higher or lower absorbance value

• Two major groups

Chemical Interferences

Spectral Interferences
CHEMICAL INTERFERENCES

• The most common one in flame atomizer.

• Consequence of chemical reactions.

• Reduce amount of oxygen in flame to overcome


SPECTRAL INTERFERENCES

• Absorption or emission of the radiation at the same


wavelength

• Radiation which is absorbed→positive errors

• Radiation which is emmitted→negative errors


SPECTRAL CORRELATION METHODS

TWO-LINE CORRELATION METHOD


• Select two line
characteristic wavelength of analyte
very close to analyte line but not absorbed by analyte

• Measure the difference between two lines


SPECTRAL CORRELATION
METHODS
CONTINUUM SOURCE CORRELATION METHOD
• Select two lamps
Deuterium lamp & hollow cathode lamp
• When hollow cathode lamp is used total absorbance
is measured
• When deuterium lamp is used only background
absorption is measured
• Measure the difference between two lines.
APPLICATIONS OF AAS
• Water analysis (e.g. Ca, Mg, Fe, Si, Al, Ba content)
• Food analysis
• Analysis of animal feedstuffs (e.g. Mn, Fe, Cu, Cr, Se,Zn)
• Analysis of soils
• Clinical analysis (blood samples: whole blood, plasma,serum; Ca, Mg,
Li, Na, K, Fe)

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