Atomic Absorption for Metal Analysis

Another useful and relatively rapid method used by chemists in the automobile chemistry lab is atomic absorption (AA). This technique has technically been around for quite some time however, work done at the Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organization led to the modem form of atomic absorption. Modern instruments can analyze as many as 60 elements. In AA, a flame or graphite furnace is used to atomize the sample. The sample is first placed in an aqueous solution and 

Source Skoog, D. Principles of Instrumental Analysis, Saunders College, 1980. With permission. 

As in atomic emissions, some interferences from molecular species occur and must be corrected for. Molecular emissions contain much broader bandwidths and 

Typical Flame AA diagram. R0 is from radiation source, Rj is radiation at X of interest 

---