ATOMIC ABSORPTION AND FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY WITH A CARBON FILAMENT ATOM RESERVOIR .I. CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF ATOM RESERVOIR

A highly efficient carbon filament atom reservoir is described for use in atomic absorption and atomic fluoresence spectroscopy. Atomisation of minute samples of aqueous solutions occurs on a 1-2mm carbon filament electrically heated by the passage of ca. 100 A at 5 V in an inert atmosphere within a simple glass chamber. With the elements tested so far there are no memory effects and the carbon filament is self-purging and may be used repeatedly for the same or other analyses. The device operates with an inexpensive transformer unit and is so compact that it may easily be fitted in the place of the burner-nebuliser unit on any commercial atomic absorption equipment and operated with perfect safety without flame extractors or precautions against fire or electrocution hazards. Analyses are completed within 5 sec and may be repeated every 2 min. As little as 10-15 g of magnesium may be determined with a precision of better than 30%. © 1969.