Atomic Absorption and Emission Analyses

Atomizers other than a flame can be used. The most common of these is the graphite furnace, an electrothermal atomization device that consists of a hollow graphite cylinder placed so that the light 

FIGURE 18.7 The basic components of a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. 

A special technique for the flameless atomic absorption analysis of mercury involves room-temperature reduction of mercury to its elemental state by tin(II) chloride in solution, followed by sweeping the mercury with air into an absorption cell having end windows made of ultraviolet-transparent silica (SiOj). Nanogram (10 g) quantities of mercury can be determined by measuring mercury absorption at 253.7 nm. 

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