Flame emission early history

The focus of this section is the emission of ultraviolet and visible radiation following thermal or electrical excitation of atoms. Atomic emission spectroscopy has a long history. Qualitative applications based on the color of flames were used in the smelting of ores as early as 1550 and were more fully developed around 1830 with the observation of atomic spectra generated by flame emission and spark emission.Quantitative applications based on the atomic emission from electrical sparks were developed by Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) in the early 1870s, and quantitative applications based on flame emission were pioneered by IT. G. Lunde-gardh in 1930. Atomic emission based on emission from a plasma was introduced in 1964. 

The history of atomic emission spectrometry (AES) goes back to Bunsen and Kirchhoff, who reported in 1860 on spectroscopic investigations of the alkali and alkali earth elements with the aid of their spectroscope [1], The elements cesium and rubidium and later on thorium and indium were also discovered on the basis of their atomic emission spectra. From these early beginnings qualitative and quantitative aspects of atomic spectrometry were considered. The occurrence of atomic spectral lines was understood as uniequivocal proof of the presence of these elements in a mixture. Bunsen and Kirchhoff in addition, however, also estimated the amounts of sodium that had to be brought into the flame to give a detectable line emission and therewith gave the basis for quantitative analyses and trace determinations with atomic spectrometry. 

The history of flame spectroscopy is difficult to separate from the other types of emission spectroscopy, but it does have some unique features. The analytical use of flame spectra has a long history since the time of Bunsen and Kirchhoff. De Gramont made a major contribution in 1923 by introducing the very hot oxygen-acetylene flame. Lvmdegardh constructed the first flame photometer in 1928 with an atomizer (now called a nebulizer), a pressure control unit, and a photocell for detection. Ne-bulization was used as early as 1879, by Gouy when... 

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