Salt effects, determining water micelles

The amount of water solubilized in a reverse micelle solution is commonly referred to as W, the molar ratio of water to surfactant, and this is also a good qualitative indicator of micelle size. This is an extremely important parameter since it will determine the number of surfactant molecules per micelle and is the main factor affecting micelle size. For an (AOT)/iso-octane/H20 system, the maximum Wq is around 60 [16], and above this value the transparent reverse micelle solution becomes a turbid emulsion, and phase separation may occur. The effect of salt type and concentration on water solubilization is important. Cations with a smaller hydration size, but the same ionic charge, result in less solubilization than cations with a large hydration size [17,18]. Micelle size depends on the salt type and concentration, solvent, surfactant type and concentration, and also temperature. 

Other potential sources of interference are the sample matrix and the solvent used for making the sample solution. The sample matrix is anything in the sample other than the analyte. In some samples, the matrix is quite complex. Milk, for example, has a matrix that consists of an aqueous phase with suspended fat droplets and suspended micelles of milk protein, minerals, and other components of milk. The determination of calcium in milk presents matrix effects that are not found when determining calcium in drinking water. Sample solutions with high concentrations of salts other than the analyte may physically trap the analyte in particles that are slow to decompose, interfering in the vaporization step and causing interference. Differences in viscosity or surface tension between the standard solutions and the samples, or between different samples, will result in interference. Interference due to viscosity or surface tension occurs in the nebulization process for FAAS... 

---