Discrete Nebulization for Sample Introduction of High Salt Solutions in Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract The detection of copper in high salt solutions using flame atomic absorption spectrometry with discrete nebulization of microliter volumes compared to conventional continuous nebulization for sample introduction was investigated. Using continuous nebulization, a decrease in absorbance signal and uptake rate with increasing salt concentration, a detection limit of 0.02 μg/mL for copper, and precision deteriorating with increasing salt concentration in the 1–3% range was found. Discrete nebulization showed similar trends with decreasing absorbance signal with increasing salt concentration, but had the advantage that the microliter volumes used prevented clogging of the burner. At low microliter volumes and high salt concentrations, the precision deteriorated to around 10% and detection limit to 0.3 pg/mL. The technique was rapid, simple and did not produce memory effects.