Sorting spectrophotometry

One of the most challenging aspects of atomic spectrometry is the incredibly wide variety of sample types that require elemental analysis. Samples cover the gamut of solids, liquids, and gases. By the nature of most modem spectrochemical methods, the latter two states are much more readily presented to sources that operate at atmospheric pressure. The most widely used of these techniques are flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS and GF-AAS) [1,2] and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometries (ICP-AES and MS) [3-5]. As described in other chapters of this volume, ICP-MS is the workhorse technique for the trace element analysis of samples in the solution phase—either those that are native liquids or solids that are subjected to some sort of dissolution procedure. 

Different types of detectors have been developed and many are under development. These are based on distinctive physicochemical properties of plastics and employ different techniques such as x-ray, near-infrared spectrophotometry, fluorescence, and optical measurement of transparency and color. Automatic systems consisting of a platform for selection according to plastics topology, a number of identification and detection steps, and adequate checks on the efficiency of separation following detection have been developed. The Poly-Sort system described above is one such example. 

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