Laser-excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry in flames and graphite tube furnaces

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7061070

Dougherty, J P

Laser Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (LEAFS) and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) were investigated to improve techniques for analyzing trace and ultratrace levels of metals in complicated matrices. The atom cells used for LEAFS were two differently designed graphite tube furnaces and an air/acetylene flame. For AAS, a graphite tube furnace was used as the atom cell. The AAS limit of detection for manganese was investigated when the commercial light source, a hollow cathode lamp, was replaced with a microwave excited electrodeless discharge lamp (EDL). The lack of long term stability and the broadening of the emission profile of the EDL, with temperature, did not make it a suitable light source for AAS. The LEAFS instrument was mostly constructed from components that were available commercially. Data collection and automation of the instrument was achieved through the use of a micro-computer and an interface that was controlled with a software algorithm written in assembly and FORTRAN languages. An air/acetylene flame was used in the LEAFS instrument mainly for diagnostic studies, although analytical data were obtained for silver, copper, lead and indium. The graphite tube furnaces were used in the LEAFS instrument to obtain analytical figures of merit for cobalt, lead, indium, manganese, copper, silver and thallium. The limits of detection for these elements ranged from 6 to 500 femtograms, which represent some of the best limits of detection ever reported for any analytical technique. Manganese and thallium were determined in biological material by LEAFS and AAS in a graphite tube furnace. The biological materials investigated were whole mouse brains and bovine liver.

• Research Organization: Connecticut Univ., Storrs (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7061070
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ACCURACY
ACETYLENE
AIR
ALKYNES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
BRAIN
CARBON
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COBALT
COPPER
DETECTION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
FLAMES
FLUIDS
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
FURNACES
GASES
GLANDS
GRAPHITE
HYDROCARBONS
INDIUM
LASERS
LEAD
LIVER
MAMMALS
MANGANESE
MATERIALS
METALS
MICE
MINERALS
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RODENTS
SILVER
SPECTROSCOPY
SWINE
TESTING
THALLIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES