Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS)

Flame test

Continuous spectrum

Hot hot gas

Emission spectrum

cold gas

Absorption spectrum

Emission spectra of various elements

AAS relies on the absorption of light of a specific wavelength by atoms dispersed in a flame. appropriate wavelength is provided by a hollow cathode lamp containing the element to be analysed, focused through the flame and onto the detector when the sample is introduced into the flame, it will decrease the light detected in direct proportion to the amount of metal present.

How AAS works Metal ions in solution are converted to metal atoms in their ground state by heating Light of a specific wavelength is made to pass through these ground state atoms The metal atoms absorb light, the extent of absorption depends on the concentration of the metal atoms in the solution

The amount of reduction of the light intensity due to absorption by the metal atoms can be directly related to the amount of the element in the sample.

How it works

Components of an atomic absorption spectrometer Radiation source

atomization cell

wavelength selection

detector

sample introduction system

Instrumentation

This instrument is designed to operate either with a flame or with a graphite furnace

Hollow cathode lamp

A hollow cathode lamp is a light source that emits the characteristic spectrum of the element to be determined. The cathode material is the same element as the one being determined. A different cathode lamp is needed for each element, although there are some lamps that can be used to determine three or four different elements if the cathode contains all of them.

The burner assembly has two major functions: conversion of sample solution into a fine aerosol solution, and dissociation of the analyte elements into free gaseous ground state form. Not all the analyte goes through the flame, part of it is disposed as shown in the figure.

Diagram of the burner and the nebuliser

As the sample passes through the flame,

the beam of light passes through it into the monochromator . The monochromator isolates the specific spectrum line emitted by the light source through spectral dispersion, and focuses it upon a photomultiplier detector, whose function is to convert the light signal into an electrical signal.

The processing of electrical signal is done by a signal amplifier The signal could be displayed for readout or further fed into a data station for printout by the requested format.

Features of the technique

Quantification of nearly 70 metals in virtually any sample type

Concentrations as low as parts per billion to as high as weight percent with minimal or no sample preparation

Microlitre volumes or microgram masses required

Common applications: analysis of biological, medical and clinical sample environmental samples ( water, solids sediments, biota) samples from steel and metal industry

pharmaceutical industry samples

food industry samples metal particulates in air pollution studies

Preparation of samples Almost any solid, liquid or gaseous sample can be analysed. most samples are converted to homogeneous solution before analysis. If level of substances is below the detection limit, then pre-concentration techniques may be applied .

Analysis time:

The time to perform analysis is linked to sample preparation. Preparing the sample can range from 0 sec to 24 hrs.
The actual determination ( after calibration setup) ranges from approximately 10 seconds to 2 min for furnace AAS.

LIMITATIONS Provides no information on the chemical form of the metal Sample preparation can be tedious and time consuming Limited to metals and metalloids Destructive technique

Accuracy Accuracy depends on the the complexity of the matrix . A homogeneous solution at an analyte level 5-10 times above the detection limit will give an accuracy better than 1%.

Techniques for quantification AAS, in common with many analytical techniques is not an absolute method of analysis. Solutions of known concentrations are introduced to the system and the absorbance of each is determined The variation of the absorbance with concentration is plotted (a calibration curve is constructed) the unknown solution is passed through the system and the absorbance measured

the concentration of the unknown is read off the calibration curve

How to prepare a 10.00 ppm (mg L-1 ) of a metal ion from a metal salt:
For example 10.00 ppm Pb from Pb(NO3 )2

1.00 x102 g / L mass of salt 1 207.19 g mol 331.20 g mol 1

mass of salt = 1.5985 x 10 -2 g Pb(NO3 )2 weighed, dissolved and diluted to 1.000 L